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AN ACCOUNT OF A WORK 



AMONG THE SICK AND DESTITUTE 



IN CONNECTION WITH 



PROVIDENCE MISSION 



NEW YORK CITY. 



By Mrs. JANE DUNNING-, Supt. 



■;. y INTRODUCTION BY 

Rev. S. H. PLATT, A. M. 

Brooklyn, N. Y. 



PREFACE BY 

Rev, B. T. ROBERTS, A. M 

Rochester, N. Y. 




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" Others save with /ear, pulling them out of the Jire. -^WB. 



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Ths Library 



Entered according to Act of Congress in- the year 1877, by Mrs. Jane Dunning, 
in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. 



J. W. Pratt, Printer, 
73 to 79 Fulton Street, New York. 



INTRODUCTION. 



Reader, ** Brands from the Burning '* is in your 
hands, and we are asked to introduce it. Introduc- 
tions are sometimes desirable, but after scanning 
these "Brands'* until our tear-dimmed eyes could 
read no longer, the conviction has forced itself upon 
us that an Introduction would be an impertinence. 

These narratives are too rich in stirring experience 
of the "gospel of the grace of God," in glorious 
contrast with the wails of human woe and the sobs 
of human sin — too inviting to detain the reader 
from the precious matter just beyond. 

"I want the kind of religion that my wife has,'' 
said Joseph the Chimney-sweep (p. 75), and that 
is just the kind that the soul-starving world wants 
to read about and see. These pages are full of it ; 
read and catch the inspiration. " Dar hangs my 
coat on de door-knob ob de pearly gate," (p. 79) 
may seem to refined ears a very poor conception of 
heaven, but it quaintly expresses a very real want of 



VI 

the dying Sweep, and a real supply revealed to his 
faith-vision, for ^^ faith is the substance of things 
hoped for." 

One moment, reader, before you hurry on. This 
glorious work has been sustained, mainly, for many 
years, by the contributions and efforts of a single 
noble-hearted physician of the city of New York, 
whose modesty — as great as his liberality — will not 
permit his name to be mentioned. Well, it is known 
in heaven. May his mantle fall upon many Elishas. 

Now, reader, pass on to the heart-stirring inci- 
dents that are waiting to touch your soul with 
melting sympathy, and, we trust, inspire your life 
with a more earnest purpose and a mightier faith. 

S. H. PLATT. 

Brooklyn, March 22, 1877. 



Ill 



PREFACE. 



This book gives an account of Christian effort put 
forth in behalf of the temporal and spiritual wel- 
fare of the neglected poor of the City of New York. 
The following pages are made up largely of inci- 
dents that occurred in connection with this work. 
The truth of every narrative here given can be 
implicitly relied upon. It preaches the gospel on 
every page, yet with all the interest of a romance. 

St. Paul says, " Now if any man have not the spirit 
of Christ he is none of his'' If we have the spirit 
of Christ we shall do according to our opportunities 
and circumstances the work that Christ did. His 
work among men was teaching the ignorant the way 
of salvation, preaching the gospel to the poor, and 
relieving the distressed. He tells us that the rewards 
of the last day will be distributed among his fol- 
lowers in proportion to their self-denying labors. 
^^ Behold I come quickly ^ and my reward is ivith me to 
give to every man according as his work shall be.'' In 



tv 

the twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew our Saviour 
teaches that those who neglect opportunities for 
doing good to their fellow men will miss heaven in 
consequence : '^ Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the 
least of these ye did it not unto me. And these shall go 
away into everlasting punishments 

We speak for this book a large circulation. It 
will, we trust, not only entertain all who read it, 
but stir them up to greater activity in the blessed 
cause of Christ. 

B. T. ROBERTS. 



Rochester, N. Y. 



BIjAI^DS FI|OM THE BU[[Nlf . 



CHAPTER I, 



OUR WORK. 

Our work is chiefly among the out-door poor, 
although a portion of our time is spent among the 
sick and dying at the Colored Home, a most fruit- 
ful field of our labor, where we have witnessed the 
conversion of scores of precious souls, some account 
of which is given in another part of this work. 

Not being restricted, we go everywhere in search of 
the sick and destitute, the outcast and fallen, many 
of whom never attend church, and would never hear 
the Gospel, were it not carried to their rooms. And 
the Lord has wonderfully set his own seal to these 
efforts ; hundreds of these lost sheep, without a 
shepherd, have been gathered into the fold of Christ ; 
many of these were converted on sick-beds, and died 
in the triumphs of faith, as the following pages will 
show. 

We have also been enabled to do much to relieve 



8 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

the bodily sufferings of these afflicted ones, by the 
voluntary contributions of the friends of this good 
work. Many of these donations have been given in 
small sums, and under circumstances which plainly 
show that God has the oversight of this mission. 

The poor of New York, as elsewhere, are divided 
into two classes — the dissipated, intemperate and 
indolent class ; and the sober, industrious, and frugal 
class. Of the latter, there are hundreds, both colored 
and white, in this city ; widows and orphans, laboring 
men with dependent families, who, by hard work and 
prudent management, make a scanty support. But 
often through sickness, want of employment, or other 
unavoidable causes, they are reduced to extreme 
want. 

When we find such unfortunates, instead of sending 
them to an alms-house, we assist them temporarily 
as far as possible ; and it is wonderful how much of 
sorrow and suffering is relieved and prevented by 
the limited means thus employed. Sometimes rent 
paid for one month, or a small allowance of provision 
for a few weeks, or a supply of second-hand clothing 
and bedding, has prevented a loving family from 
being broken up, and placed them in circumstances 
where they could again provide for themselves. 

We are constantly meeting with those who have 
sick ones on their hands, with little or no means to 
provide for them. A wife has a loved husband, who 
is slowly but surely going to the grave with consump- 
tion ; a daughter has an aged, helpless mother, or a 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 9 

mother a sick but darling child. To support these, 
that wife, daughter or mother, goes to the rich man's 
house and works at washing, ironing, or house- 
cleaning, from morning until night, leaving the sick 
to pass these weary hours alone. But at length the 
sufferer becomes so low as to no longer admit of 
being left without care ; then they must have help for 
a time, or they all suffer together — not only for want 
of food and fuel, but often, in their deepest afflictions, 
they are dispossessed for not paying rent. 

While visiting on Twenty-sixth street, we met with 
a poor widow, who, with a consumptive daughter 
had just been turned out of door by her unfeeling 
landlord, because she was unable to meet the pay- 
ment of her rent. She had found shelter with a 
family who were too poor to share their means 
with any one. 

The mother, who had been out all day looking for 
work, and a place to put her sick child, not having 
succeeded, had returned with a heavy heart. We 
questioned her closely, and ascertained from others 
that she was a worthy case. Finding a little room 
vacant in the same building, we rented it, put up a 
small stove, placed the poor sick girl in a com- 
fortable bed, and furnished them with food. Her 
cough was most distressing, and we saw she was 
rapidly going to the grave. She was unconverted, 
and quite indifferent about her soul. After visiting 
her frequently, always tenderly and faithfully urging 
her to give her heart to God, she was finally awakened 



lO BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

to see her true condition, and one day, while laboring 
and praying with her, she broke out in an agony of 
prayer for herself. Her cry was, " O God, have 
mercy on my poor soul." Soon her mourning was 
turned to rejoicing, and her prayer to praise. 

After repeatedly thanking the Lord for what he 
had done for her soul, she said : " O Lord, I thank 
thee for sending these dear friends to look after me ; 
they have given me a bed, and fire to keep me warm, 
and food to eat ; but. Lord, I won't want fire, or any 
of these things, much longer, for I'm coming to Thee. 
Bless my poor mother ; give her religion, and take 
care of her '* In this simple, touching manner, she 
prayed for some time. She died a few days after. 
Her last words were : " Fm going to Heaven !" 

MARGARET. 

Some of the districts we visit have been sadly 
neglected, and there is great need of having the Gos- 
pel carried to these wretched abodes. 

As we call through these large tenement houses, 
crowded with human beings possessed of immortal 
souls, but living out their brief existence with no 
thought of the future, our hearts sink within us. We 
find here men and women so sunken in iniquity as 
to be a disgrace to the human family ; and little 
children, whose lips never utter the name of God 
except in the oaths which have been so early taught 
them. And these children, reared in the midst of 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. II 

such degradation, grow up to become thieves and 
murderers, to fill our prisons and asylums. 

At our first visit to these more neglected parts of 
the city, the sight seemed truly appalling. And yet, 
as degraded as they are, we behold with joy their 
willingness to listen to us, and with tearful eyes they 
lament the evil courses which they are pursuing. 

In T street there is a court containing three 

large tenement buildings, all of which are filled from 
cellar to garret with the worst class of people. 

Several horrible murders have been committed 
there, as some of the most desperate and hardened 
characters in all the city live in this court. But this 
terrible place is a part of our field of labor, and 
we often find our way into the dismal cellars and 
wretched abodes of these miserable creatures. 

At one time, hearing that in one of these cellars 
there was a woman dying without religion, we went to 
her. When entering the gate we met the landlord of 
these buildings. Observing that we had tracts in our 
hands, he looked surprised, and asked : " Are you not 
afraid to go into that bad place ?" We could not 
wonder that he asked the question, but we assured 
him that we were not at all afraid, and passed on. 

In one of the dark cellars, lying on a hard bed, we 
found the sick young woman. She was groaning 
aloud with pain, and it was with difficulty that she 
could speak, so great were her sufferings. The room 
was destitute of every comfort, and from appearances, 



12 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

we judged that the dying woman had suffered extreme 
want. 

We asked how it was with her soul. She said that 
she was a sinner, but did not manifest much concern 
about her eternal welfare. We asked if the Bible had 
been read to her, and was told that it had not. We 
then turned to the fifty-fifth chapter of Isaiah, and 
read the gracious words of invitation: "Ho, every 
one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that 
hath no money ; come ye, buy, and eat," etc. This, at 
once, engaged her attention, and she kept her eyes 
intently fastened upon the one who was reading. 
Having finished the chapter, we then sung : 

Show pity, Lord, O Lord, forgive, 
Let a repenting rebel live, 
Are not thy mercies large and free — 
May not a sinner trust in thee ? 

She soon began to weep and cry " Lord, have 
mercy on me ;" and as we sung — 

O, wash my soul from every stain, 
And make my guilty conscience clean ; 
Here on my heart the burden lies. 
And past offences pain my eyes. 

the burden of guilt increased, and she tossed from 
one side of the bed to the other in the agony of 
her soul. 

She soon became lost to all around her, so intense 
was the struggle with the powers of darkness. We 
knelt in prayer, and felt that the Lord was present 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 13 

to deliver the captive ; but it seemed that all the 
hosts of hell rallied in this last great conflict -for this 
soul for whom Jesus died. But, glory be to God, 
our Immanuel conquered for us, and we felt from 
the depths of our heart that help was laid upon one 
who was " mighty to save'' 

The people, hearing the noise, gathered in, but 
the mourner heeded them not ; still from that agon- 
ized heart went up the cry, ^^ Jesus ^ save me j Jesus ^ 
save me'* We encouraged her to believe in Jesus, 
and while we were singing — 

Jesus, the name that charms our fears, 
That bids our sorrows cease, 
'Tis music in the sinner^s ears, 
'Tis life, and health, and peace ; 

with the chorus — " I can, I will, I do believe," etc. — 
her faith laid hold on Christ, and she began to say, 
"/ do believe ; I do believe^" and soon proved, in her 
own experience, what is expressed by the poet : 

Soon as my all I ventured 
On the atoning blood, 
The Holy Spirit entered, 
And I was born of God. 

She waved her hand back and forth, saying, "O, he 
does save me ; he does save me, I am not afraid to 
die now." 

The Great Deliverer had come, blessed be his name, 
and removed the burden of sin, filling her heart with 
a peace that " passeth all understandmg." Oh! how 



14 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

the glory of God filled that little room, and the 
place that before seemed so much like hell, was 
now like the gate of Heaven. All was hushed into 
quietness throughout the building, and hardened 
sinners who came in to gaze wept like children, so 
manifest was the power of God. All glory to his 
name. 

A few hours after her conversion she received the 
full witness of the Spirit, the Holy Ghost so filling 
her soul that she rejoiced with joy unspeakable and 
full of glory. Her death was most triumphant. When 
she came to the crossing-place of the river, she 
exhorted her unsaved friends to prepare to meet her 
in Heaven ; and then, with her dying breath, sung : 
"We shall meet on that beautiful shore;' and thus 
passed away. In the day when the Lord makes up 
his jewels, we expect to find Margaret among the 
number. 

A PRAYER MEETING IN A GAMBLING-ROOM. 

In this same court there was a room kept for 
gambling purposes. It was on the first floor, im- 
mediately over the cellar, where one of the horrible 
murders had been committed. We often went through 
this building, distributing tracts and praying with the 
people, but had always passed by the door of the 
gamblmg-room. One day, as two of us had been to 
the top of the building, on our return, one said : 
" I feel impressed to leave some tracts with the 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. IS 

gamblers/' We listened a moment, and heard them 
quarreling and swearing fearfully. We rapped at 
the door; a man opened to us, and on seeing the 
missionaries, he was about to close it, but we told 
him we wanted to come in, and he immediately threw 
the door wide open. As we entered, we found a 
dozen or fifteen men and youths sitting around two 
tables, which were covered with cards. Suddenly, 
the cards all disappeared, and we stepped to the 
tables, laying down some tracts, and said : " Let us 
give you some cards that will do you good." 

They seemed much mortified, and some were dis- 
posed to run, but closing the door, we took our stand 
against it, to prevent any of them leaving, for we 
felt that the Lord had sent us there, and he would 
protect us. We then talked to them kindly but 
seriously about spending their time and money in 
such sinful amusements, after which we opened a 
hymn-book, and read aloud that solemn hymn- 
Vain man, thy fond pursuits forbear ; 
Repent, thine end is nigh ; 
Death at the farthest can't be far — 
O think, before thou die. 

As we read aloud each verse before singing, many 
of them joined in with us, some of whom had 
fine bass voices. After singing, we asked permission 
to pray. One, whom we suppose was the leader, 
nodded assent. We knelt in prayer, and if ever the 
Lord Jesus was present in any meeting, he was 



l6 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

" in the midst " in that little room among these 
children of the Evil One. 

A wonderful spirit of prayer was given, and the 
solemnities of the judgment day seemed to rest on 
all present. We felt no more fear from the time 
we entered the room until we left, than we should 
had we been in a churchy surrounded by religious 
people. 

Before leaving we talked to them again, warning 
and exhorting them to forsake their evil ways, and 
give their hearts to God. They were all very respect- 
ful ; some confessed that it was a bad business, and 
seemed to approve of all we said ; others we left in 
tears. 

THE THREE SISTERS. 

While visiting from house to house, we called at 
a room where we found a young man and his wife 
engaged in playing cards. We reproved them for 
indulging in such pernicious amusement, and talked 
to them seriously about their souls. They were very 
genteel, and appeared to belong to the more refined 
class of society. They listened attentively to all that 
we said, and acknowledged their need of religion- 
Oftentimes these complaisant sinners are harder to 
be won to Christ than those who flee when they see 
us coming, or reply with angry words when addressed 
on the subject of religion. 

The deference of this young couple did not im- 
press us that they were very religiously-inclined, 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 1 7 

hence we sung one of our most awakening hymns, 
commencing, 

Vain man, thy fond pursuits forbear ; 
Repent, thin^ end is nigh, etc., 

solemnly, reading each verse aloud that they might 
the better understand it and join in the singing, if 
they wished. The Holy Spirit attended the exercise ; 
the young woman began to weep, and while singing 
the third verse. 

Reflect, thou hast a soul to save ; 
Thy sins, how high they mount ; 
What are thy hopes beyond the grave — 
How stands that dark account ! 

she dropped her head in her hands and sobbed 
aloud. We all knelt before the Lord, and while we 
were praying she continued to weep violently. We 
told her that the Spirit was striving with her, and 
that the Lord would save her that hour if she would 
forsake her sinful ways, and give herself wholly to 
him. " Oh,'' said she, ^' what shall I do ? I never 
felt like this before. I once went forward for prayer 
in a protracted meeting, and tried to get religion, but 
I did not feel the need of it then as I do now. Oh ! 
this is my time, this is my time, God is calling me ; 
I must be saved." And we doubt not but she would 
have been saved that hour, had she not yielded to a 
suggestion of the enemy. Glancing at her husband, 
she said : "Oh ! if he would only start, too. I can't 
keep religion if I get it, unless he is saved." She 



l8 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

went to him, and throwing her arms around his neck, 
begged him to begin with her to seek the Lord. He 
wept, but said it would be useless for him to promise 
to seek religion, as he was not convicted ; but if he 
felt as she did, he would certainly give his heart to 
the Lord. We told him that if he would begin to 
pray, and ask God to give him repentance unto life, 
he would soon have all the conviction he needed. 
But he answered us that it would be impossible for 
him to bring his mind to decide that question at 
present. He said that he was glad his wife was seek- 
ing religion ; hoped she would persevere until she 
was converted ; said he should not oppose her, and 
he would promise us that he would no longer play 
cards at home, nor in any way tempt or try to dis- 
courage her from seeking her soul's salvation. We 
did not doubt his sincerity, but assured him that 
while he was unsaved, he could not help being a 
hindrance to his wife. We encouraged her to con- 
tinue seeking the Lord, with the hope that when 
saved herself, she might be the instrument of her 
husband's salvation. 

We spoke of calling again soon, but they informed 
us that they were seldom at home, as both had a 
service-place where they were employed during the 
day, and it was often late at night before they could 
return home. Unwilling to give them up, we asked 
the privilege of holding a weekly night-meeting in a 
room just opposite their own on the same floor. We 
informed them of our arrangements, and asked them 



BRANDS EROM THE BURNING. 1 9 

to come into these meetings as often as possible, which 
they both promised to do. The occupant of the little 
room was a pious widow and her aged mother, ex- 
tremely poor as to this world, but "rich in faith, 
and heirs of the kingdom." They welcomed the meet- 
ings, especially the aged mother, who for many years 
had been unable to walk to church. She praised 
the Lord for this means of grace, and often, when 
giving her testimony for Jesus, she would shout 
aloud the praises of God. We held these meetings 
every Friday night, for several weeks, but the young 
gamblers were never present. However, although we 
were disappointed in not witnessing their conversion, 
our labor was not in vain. The meetings were well 
attended; the Lord was always present in the exer- 
cises, and several were clearly converted ; among 
these were three sisters, named Maria, Ophelia, and 
Louisa, two of whom lived in an adjoining building. 
Maria and Ophelia were among the first to be brought 
under conviction in the meeting, and both began to 
seek the Lord with great earnestness. Louisa, who 
was married and lived on Staten Island, came over 
to the city to visit her sisters, and finding them both 
in great distress of soul on account of their sins, 
she accompanied them to the meeting. This was 
the first and only time she was ever present. 

After the usual opening exercises, before engaging 
in prayer, an opportunity was given for all who felt 
their need of religion to manifest it by rising. Louisa 
quickly arose, and in an earnest tone, with flowing 



20 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

tears, she said : " I feel that I am a sinner ; I want 
religion, and I want it now. I ask these Christians 
to pray for me ;" and immediately she fell on her 
knees, crying aloud for mercy. The Lord gave his 
people a wonderful spirit of prayer in her behalf, and 
before the meeting closed, her prayer was turned to 
praise, and, with joy unspeakable beaming from her 
countenance, she arose and testified that God, for 
Christ's sake, had forgiven all her sins. She danced 
and shouted : '^ O, glory to God, He has saved my 
soul. Jesus has washed all my sins away.'* This 
was a sudden conversion, but we never witnessed one 
more sound or clear. We called on her the next 
day, and found her happy in the Lord. She said 
she could not attend another meeting, as she was 
obliged to return home; but she was determined to 
serve the Lord faithfully as long as she lived. She 
said that her husband was unconverted, but she 
should introduce family prayer, and do all she could to 
get him saved. 

We never saw her again. She died very suddenly a 
few weeks after her conversion ; but we were informed 
that she continued faithful until the Lord took her 
home. 

The other two sisters had been seeking the Lord 
about three weeks, when Louisa was converted. 
Their convictions of sin were very deep. Maria, the 
eldest, was often prostrated on the floor, in these 
meetings, writhing and groaning in the greatest men- 
tal agony. So great was her distress of soul, that 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 21 

she became quite sick in body, unable to attend the 
meetings, and was finally confined to her bed. But the 
Lord did not leave the poor sufferer in this wretched 
condition. He said to her troubled, tempest-tossed 
spirit : " Peace, be still ; and there was a great 
calm." 

We called to see her soon after the blessed change 
had taken place, and she gave us a full account of her 
conversion, which was truly wonderful. It was Sab- 
bath, about midnight ; she had retired with her sister, 
but distress of mind had kept them both awake until 
that late hour. She said it was a dark night, and 
no lamp burning, when suddenly the room was filled 
with a bright light, and the same moment her bur- 
den of sin and grief was removed, and her soul filled 
with joy unspeakable. Ophelia confirmed the state- 
ment ; said she saw the light, was afraid and covered 
her head with the bed-clothes, while Maria shouted 
aloud the high praises of God. She soon recovered 
her usual health, and went on her way rejoicing. 

Ophelia was powerfully converted soon after in 
one of the meetings in the little room. She had 
sought the Lord, sorrowing, for a long time. When 
victory came, she rejoiced with joy unspeakable and 
full of glory. Her shouts of triumph were heard 
throughout the building, and the people crowded 
into the room to witness the scene. Soon after her 
conversion she expressed a desire for a clean heart, 
and began to seek the blessing of entire sanctification 
with as much earnestness as she had sought justifica- 



22 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

tion. When seeking pardon, the burden of her 
petition was like that of the publican : ** God, be 
merciful to me, a sinner ;'' but when seeking purity, 
her prayer was like that of the Psalmist : " Create 
in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit 
within me." One night we called at her little room, 
and, finding her soul greatly drawn out for the bless- 
ing, we encouraged her to look to Jesus for the 
cleansing touch that hour, assuring her that the same 
Jesus who had pardoned her sins was both able and 
willing to sanctify her wholly, and preserve her blame- 
less ; that the promise was : *^ If we confess our sins, 
he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to 
cleanse us from all unrighteousness,'* and that she 
was to receive heart-purity in the same way that she 
did pardon — by simple faith. 

We engaged in a season of prayer, during which 
she was enabled to lay hold on Christ to save to 
the uttermost from inward as well as outward sin. 
In a moment the refining fire went through her 
heart, and she began to shout glory and victory, and 
rising to her feet she danced for some minutes, like 
David before the ark. Her appearance during this 
exercise was most unearthly ; heaven and glory 
beamed from her countenance and sparkled in her 
eyes. While walking the floor to and fro, she caught 
sight of herself in a mirror that hung before her, 
and stopping suddenly, she exclaimed : ** Is this me ? 
Is this me } It ain't me ; it ain't me. Oh ! glory. 
Tm clear and clean." Then she would dance appar- 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 23 

ently as light as a thistle-down in the air, crying : 
** Clear and clean ; clear and clean. O ! glory ; clear 
and clean.'' Heaven and earth seemed to come 
together during this season of rejoicing. Her words 
and shouts of praise were accompanied by the power 
of the Spirt, and fell on our own hearts like electrical 
fire, and all present received a fresh baptism of the 
Holy Ghost. 

Ophelia soon followed her sister to an early grave. 
During her brief sickness, she assured us repeatedly 
that all was well. We were not present when she died. 
She expressed a great desire to see us, and often asked: 
" Have the Missionaries come ? O how I want to 
see them." We should have been glad to have heard 
her last testimony, but she told her friends that she 
was going to Heaven. 

SOWING THE SEED. 

In the tract-distributing work there is much seed 
sown, the fruit of which will never appear until that 
day when the Lord shall make up his jewels. Then, 
we trust, that thousands will be found among the 
saved and blood-washed, who were brought to Christ 
through the instrumentality of tracts. We often place 
these silent preachers in the hands of little children 
in the streets, saying : " Take that tract to your 
mamma ;" and immediately they run with a message 
of salvation in places where a missionary would not 
be allowed to enter. 

We hand them to dry-goods clerks and salesmen. 



24 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

to the idlers lounging about the doors of the liquor- 
stores, and lay them on the tables of the beer and 
gambling saloons, while many others are distributed 
among the multitudes who throng the city street- 
cars. It is written : ** Cast thy bread upon the 
waters, and thou shalt find it after many days." 

We have met with several instances of those who 
ascribe their awakening and conversion entirely to 
the instrumentality of tracts. One was a young 
woman whom we met in an alley, when passing 
from a rear building to the street. We handed her 
the tract entitled, " The Burning Ship,*' and as she 
told us she could not read, we stood and read the 
tract aloud, and then returned it to her. The Lord 
sealed on her heart the instruction it contained, which 
resulted in her conversion. When we next saw her 
(which was several months after), she was rejoicing 
in Christ as her Saviour. She said the impressions 
she received in that alley never left her until she 
gave her heart to God. She continually saw herself 
on that burning ship, just ready to sink to ruin. 
Her experience was clear and Scriptural, and she 
seemed in earnest to lead others to Christ. 

At another time, while visiting from house to house, 
we gave a woman the tract entitled, " Niff and his 
Dogs.*' An unconverted young man called at her 
house, took up the tract and read it. The Lord was 
pleased to make this the means of his conversion. 

After the happy change took place, he called and 
told the woman what the Lord had done for his 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 25 

soul, and said he greatly desired to see the mission- 
aries who left the tract, that he might also tell them 
the joyful news. As he did not know our address, 
he wrote the following letter, and left it at the house, 
to be given to the missionaries when they called 
again : 

New York, Dec. ist, 1875. 
For the Missionary Ladies : 

As I was up to Mrs. M.'s, I chanced to see and 
read one of your tracts about a bad man and his 
dogs, and to see how he was brought to Jesus. And 
I can say that on the ist of July, in the morning, 
about 8.30 o'clock, while I was washing windows, 
Jesus delivered me from sin. I never felt so happy 
and loving as I did then. I am willing to lay my life 
down for Jesus' sake. Sometimes I feel so happy, I 
sit down and cry. If I can only see you, I can tell 
you better, for I cannot write it. I was a vile sin- 
ner, but Jesus saves me. 

Yours, respectfully, C. R. Smith. 

Shortly after we received this letter, he called and 
gave us a particular account of the Lord's dealings 
with him. He said the love of God burned like fire 
in his soul, and he was so happy all the time that 
he felt constrained to warn or exhort sinners when- 
ever there was an opportunity ; and if ever he failed 
to do so, he felt sad. He was from the South, and 
was about to return to his native place, feeling that 
the Lord had a work for him to do among his old 
friends and neighbors. He was a bright, intelligent 
youth, and appeared to possess gifts and graces for 

a special work among souls. 
8 



2 6 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

Sow in the morn thy seed ; 

At eve hold not thy hand ; 
To doubt and fear give thou no heed,- 

Broad-cast it o'er the land. 

Thou knowest not which shall thrive— 
The late or early sown ; 

Grace keeps the precious germ alive, 
When and wherever strown ; 

And duly shall appear, 

In verdure, beauty, strength — 

The tender blade, the stalk, the ear. 
And the full corn at length. 

Thou canst not toil in vain ; 

Cold, heat, and moist, and dry, 
Shall foster and mature the grain 

For garners in the sky. 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 2^ 



CHAPTER II 



SUFFERING AND SALVATION. 



NANCY V. 

One cold winter's day, late in the afternoon, a 
poor, forsaken-looking woman came to our house, 
seeming to be in great distress. She said : '^ I have 
five little children at home without fire or food, and 
we have been without since yesterday." Two of us 
went with her to her wretched abode, and found her 
story true. There were five small children huddled 
around a cold stove. The oldest girl was holding a 
babe of six months. The furniture of the room con- 
sisted of a broken chair, a stove, and trunk, and a 
pile of rags which lay in one corner of the room. 
There was neither fire, fuel, food, bed or bedding. 
The little ones looked up at us and cried for food. 
We went out and bought bread, coal and other things, 
enough to supply their present wants. 

When we returned, the little creatures gathered 
around us like a flock of hungry chickens. If a crumb 
fell to the floor, they would snatch at it as though al- 
most starved. They were all nearly naked. One little 
four-year old boy, who stood shivering as though 
suffering from ague, had only a thin, worn-out apron 



2 8 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

over his naked body. We furnished them with more 
comfortable clothing ; caring for them otherwise as 
our limited means would allow. When asked the 
cause of this extreme destitution, the woman said 
her husband came to the city a few months ago, 
having the promise of work at street-sweeping ; but 
others had been employed instead of him, and they 
found it very difficult to get anything to do. 

The mother is only twenty-four years old ; has 
six children, all living, the eldest under nine years. 
One was being cared for by a family who can scarcely 
find bread to keep themselves alive. 

After relieving their temporal wants, we talked to 
them about their souls, and the sinner's friend, who 
has promised : *^ Seek ye first the kingdom of God, 
and all these things shall be added unto you." The 
Lord often lets poor sinners get into great straits, 
it being the only way he could bring them to him- 
self. The woman seemed to feel the truth, looked 
sad and confessed her need of religion. Not long 
after this, one Saturday afternoon, she came to our 
house through a down-pour of rain. She had nothing 
around her, and her feet were very wet, as she had 
on old cloth shoes. We wondered what had brought 
the poor creature out in such a cold rain, but soon 
learned that she was in deep distress of soul, and 
wished us to pray with her. It was a favorable time, 
as it was raining, and the missionaries were all in 
and immediately engaged in prayer with her. 

She soon began to cry aloud for mercy, confessing 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 29 

her sins, saying : *' O, Lord, have mercy on me ; do 
take all my sins away. O, Jesus, do give me this 
sweet salvation ; O do, Jesus, come around this way, 
and bless my poor soul." 

In this simple, touching manner, with streaming 
tears, she continued to plead for about two hours. 

She was told to come directly to Christ and believe 
on him as her Saviour, and expect him to save her 
just as she was, and just then. At length she began 
to look away from herself to Christ, repeating : ^' I 
do believe in Jesus ; he is my Saviour — yes, he is 
my Saviour — I now take Jesus to be my Saviour." 
The Lord soon set his seal to this faith, and spoke 
peace to her troubled soul. Her sad countenance 
lit up with a heavenly smile, and in a low, sweet 
strain she commenced singing, 

I love Jesus, Hallelujah ; 
I love Jesus, yes I do. 
I love Jesus, he's my Saviour ; 
Jesus smiles and loves me, too. 

We offered her something to eat ; but she replied : 
" I thank you a thousand times ; but I could not 
eat one mouthful." She was so taken up with the 
sweet salvation, she wanted nothing else. We changed 
her wet garments for dry ones, and she went on her 
way rejoicing. 

We first obtained access to this woman's heart by 
relieving her temporal wants. It is the only way 
we can reach the hearts of those who are freezing 



30 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

and starving. The missionary who has only tracts 
and prayers to give, when the poor are suffering the 
want of all things, might as well stay at home. So 
our friends will see that the money and means they 
send to this mission is doing a two-fold work, as 
by relieving their temporal wants we get access to 
their souls. We have seen scores converted that we 
never could have reached in any other way. 

A LOST ONE RECLAIMED. 

While visiting on street, found a young girl 

who ran away from home when but thirteen years 
of age, and entered a house of ill-fame. After a five- 
year course of sin, she was taken sick, and found a 
home with a kind friend, who had long sought to 
reclaim her from her evil ways. 

In a previous sickness she had promised to break 
off from her sins ; and now, when death seemed to 
stare her in the face, her broken vows came up 
before her, and greatly disturbed her soul. While 
conversing with her we found her truly penitent. 
She prayed for herself, and promised again and 
again to lead a new life, if the Lord would only 
have mercy upon her. 

At first the woman of the house seemed shy of 
us, and would leave the room as soon as we came 
in ; but although out of sight, she could not get out 
of hearing of the cries of the poor mourner plead- 
ing for mercy, as she could be distinctly heard all 
over the house, and in the street We called again, 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 3 I 

and found the mother of the sick one stopping with 
her. She, too, was living without God, and without 
hope. She promised to seek the Lord, and never 
to rest till she had found the "pearl of great price." 
When we again called, the mother and the girl's 
friend met us with the joyful news of their conver- 
sion. The old woman shouted aloud the praises of 
God Thus they were both brought to Christ, while 
the sick one continued to mourn on in the dark. 
Her cries and pleadings were sometimes touching to 
witness. At length the Lord, who hath said : '^ Seek 
and ye shall find," and, " Him that cometh to me I 
will in no wise cast out," set her feet upon the rock, 
and put the new song in her mouth even praises 
unto God. She married soon after, and went to 
house-keeping. One morning, some weeks after her 
conversion, when going through the building, we 
heard the voice of prayer ; on going in, we found 
the convert having family worship. Praise be to God 
for a salvation that can reach the vilest of sinners, 
and make them new creatures in Christ Jesus. 

HARRY. 

** Others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire." 

One day as we were visiting on Thirtieth street, 
we saw a man sitting on the steps of a house, lookmg 
sick and forsaken. We stopped to talk with him, 
and found that he had been afflicted several months, 
and was yet unsaved. When asked if he did not 
feel his need of religion. He appeared disgusted, and 



^2 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

said he was as good as those who professed religion, 
and he thought the most of them were backsliders 
or hypocrites. On inquir}'', we found that he lived 
with his mother and a younger brother, who were 
very unkind to him. 

The mother professed religion ; but they were all 
very wicked, often quarreled fearfully, and were a 
dread to all w^ho knew them. Once, when in a 
brawl, Tom, the younger brother, tried to take 
Harry's life, by cutting his throat with a razor, and 
carried the deadly weapon in his pocket for a month, 
waiting an opportunity to destroy him, but was 
prevented. 

After hearing him relate his worldly troubles, we 
again tried to turn his attention to religion, but 
he became quite angry, and replied : ^' I can take 
care of my own soul. I will stand as good a chance 
of getting to Heaven as the folks who profess 
religion." This did not discourage us, as we are 
used to having sinners meet us with words like these ; 
but we had not visited Harry many times before we 
found that we had a very hard case on hand. Two 
or three times he wept, and showed signs of peni- 
tence ; but usually, when the subject of religion was 
introduced, he would become angry and leave the 
house. 

One day when we called to see him he fled to a 
stable near by. We followed him to the yard, but 
he had concealed himself. We returned to the house 
and left a message with his married sister, who 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 33 

lived in the front part of the same building. We 
said : '^ Tell Harry if he loses his soul, we will be a 
witness against him in the judgment. The Lord 
sent us here this morning to pray for him. We 
have come a long way this hot day with the hope 
of seeing him and helping him to Christ. There 
are many sick ones who want to see us, and welcome 
us to their homes, but he ran away ; he had better 
not take so much pains to be damned.'' 

The next time we called we came on him unawares. 
He was very poorly, and was sitting in the house 
with his head resting on a chair. We first inquired 
tenderly after his health, and also his bodily wants. 
We had brought him some delicate food ; he seemed 
much pleased with it, and was quite tender until 
we asked about his soul, when he replied gruffly : 
"My soul is well enough." ^' Do you mean to say 
you have experienced religion ?" " No ; but my soul 
is all right." "Well, if your soul is all right, you 
are prepared to die ; you are almost to the crossing- 
place of the river. Do you feel that you are ready ?" 
He replied : " I do not want you to come here and 
tell me I am going to die ; I am getting defter. 
But this talk about dying makes me worse ; it is 
enough to make any one feel bad to keep talking to 
him about dying." 

He said much more, growing more angry while 
he talked, or rather whispered ; for his voice was so far 
gone that we had to put our ear to his face to under- 
stand him. .We told him his dread of death was a 



34 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

Strong evidence that he was not Saved. But he would 
hear no more, and arose hastily, and, with the help of 
his cane, tried to get out of the door ; but he was so 
weak, he could hardly walk. His feet were swollen to 
an enormous size. We saw that he was nearly gone, 
and thought very likely it was the last time we should 
see him alive, so we determined to pray with him, 
if possible. We stepped in before him and kept him 
from going out, told him we had come to pray with 
him, that it was the enemy of his soul that made 
him feel so enraged. He turned and threw himself 
on his bed. We knelt down, and O, what a love 
we felt for his soul ! We wept, and prayed, and told 
the Lord all about him — how hard Satan was trying 
to destroy him, and what pains Jesus had taken to 
save him. While we were praying his heart was 
touched ; he wept and seemed quite penitent. This 
was the turning-point. From that hour he seemed 
anxious to see us. One afternoon we had been in 
the lower part of the city, laboring with the sick, who, 
like Harry, were just ready to pass into eternity, but 
were still unsaved. The weather was very hot, the 
rooms small, with but little ventilation, and we had 
been breathing the impure air for hours, and were 
feeling sick and faint. We halted at a street corner 
and held a short consultation whether it was best 
to go on and see Harry that day. We stood as if 
held to the spot, undecided what to do. He might 
still be alive, and this might be our last chance. 
We felt very weary, and it would be very painful for 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 35 

US to be shut up ifi the little close sick-room an 
hour or two or more. But what was that when com- 
pared with the loss of a soul. We dared not go 
home, so we took the next car that came along, and 
went again to see poor Harry. 

We found him seated on a stool, with his head 
resting on a chair, apparently asleep. We inquired 
of his mother how he was. When he heard our 
voice his lips quivered, and the tears began to stream 
down his face. He called for his mother, and told 
her to help him into bed, as he wanted us to pray 
for him. We seated ourselves by his side, and read 
a portion of Scripture. He listened eagerly, and 
seemed to receive it as from God. We found the 
Lord present to save ; but the conflict with the 
powers of darkness was terrible. It seemed for about 
two hours all heaven and hell were in contest over 
that soul. If we felt our strength failing, and stopped 
praying, he would cry out : " Oh ! pray, pray, do 
pray on ! God is helping me. Hold on ! Jesus will 
save ine, but the devil wants me ?" Then we would 
pray again — first one, then the other. 

All this time he was calling on God for mercy, in 
an agony as though soul and body would part. Some- 
times the blessing would seem near ; then again he 
would cry out : '^ O pray, do pray ! the devil is try- 
ing to get me ! O, sen^/ him away I send him away ! 
bid the devil leave me !" He continued to call on 
God ; the enemy was conquered ; light broke into his 
soul, and while we were singing, 



36 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

Jesus, the name high over all, 

In hell, or earth, or sky ; 
Angels and men before it fall. 

And devils fear and fly — 

he began to praise the Lord. He could only whisper, 
and said much that we could not understand ; but 
we could distinctly hear him say : " Jesus is my 
Saviour; God is viy God — yes, he is my God, I am 
not afraid to die now. I have served the devil 
very faithfully for many years ; now I am going to 
serve God with all my heart." He lived several days 
aftei^ this in the same happy frame of mind. He 
was much concerned for his mother and brother, often 
exhorting them to break off from their sins and turn 
to the Lord. Just before he died, he said to his 
brother : " O, Tom, get ready, get ready, so that 
you will meet me there in the Getting-up Mornmgy 
His conversion made a wonderful change in the 
family, and^ sent conviction among the unsaved in the 
neighborhood. 

A notoriously wicked woman, who had been visited 
by the missionaries, and was under some conviction 
for religion, hearing that Harry, one of her comrades 
in sin, was converted, became more alarmed about 
her own soul, and left word for us to call and pray 
with her. One afternoon the missionaries met at her 
room, and held a little prayer-meeting. While they 
were praying, she seemed to get a view of her own 
wickedness, cried bitterly, confessing her sins, and 
promising to lead a new life, if God would have 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 37 

mercy and forgive her. After praying for some 
time, she was told to believe on Jesus, and began 
to repeat words of faith and trust, until " the Spirit 
answered to the blood, and told her she was born 
of God." Her neighbors, bad and good, came to 
her room and looked on ; some joined in the shouts 
of praise, and sinners wept ; but none doubted the 
reality of the change. 

A few days after, we called to see her and found 
her very happy in the Lord. She said her wicked 
neighbors and old companions in sin had called to 
see her, hoping to find her the same as before. 
"But," said she, ^^ I told them, as best I could in 
broken words, what Jesus had done for my soul, and 
those who came to laugh and ridicule, went out that 
door crying. Ah!" she continued, "they all know 
what a wicked woman 1 have been. I was not one 
of those who appeared good before folks, and was 
devil behind their backs ; but I was devil every 
where — devil all the while." 



SAMUEL. 

One day, when engaged in our mission-work, we 
called on a woman who seemed overjoyed at seeing 
us. " Oh !" she said, " I am so glad you have come. 
1 have been praying for a long time for the Lord to 



38 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

send you here. I want you to go and see Sammy. 
He is very sick and going to die, but he ain't ready. 
He's dreadful wicked, and don't seem to care what 
becomes of his soul. He is a cousin to Harry, and 
just such a hard case. I heard that you visited 
Harry, and he was converted, so I thought if I could 
only get Sammy into your hands, he would get 
religion too." 

We told the poor woman that we could not con- 
vert anybody, but the Lord could save the vilest 
sinner, and melt the hardest heart. She gave me his 
number, and we called on him soon after. We found 
him in a most wretched condition. He was alone, 
without food or fire, and the weather very cold. We 
furnished him with these necessaries, and then ten- 
derly inquired into the state of his soul. Poor 
Sammy ! he had sown* to the flesh, and now, on his 
death-bed, he was just beginning to reap the sad 
harvest ; but we found him a true penitent, earnestly 
desiring to find the Saviour. 

One day when we called and inquired how he was 
getting along, he replied : ^^ O, I don't know ; there 
is something that troubles me and prevents me com- 
ing to Jesus." We asked if he wished to see any 
particular person to talk with them, or if he had any 
confession to make to any one ; and he said he had. 

He was a married man ; but some years before, on 
account of his wife's bad conduct, they had quarreled 
and separated ; and now, when he was trying to make 
his peace with God, he felt that he must ask her 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. . 39 

forgiveness before the Lord would receive him. We 
advised him to send for his wife and make all neces- 
sary confessions, which he did soon after. 

The trouble with his wife, however, was not the only 
difficulty in the way of the poor sinner's conversion. 
His mother, who was his only attendant, though a 
professor ot religion, was an intemperate woman, and 
much of the time incapable of giving him proper 
care After we began to labor with Sammy, she 
became wonderfully interested in the welfare of his 
soul, and at times, when under the influence of liquor, 
she would pray for and exhort him, until he would 
become so annoyed and disgusted, that he would 
grow impatient and speak sharply to her, thus gl*iev- 
ing the Spirit, and stopping the work of grace in 
his own soul. 

One day when we called, his mother being out, 
he unburdened his mind to us, saying that he felt 
quite discouraged, and despaired of ever being saved 
while surrounded by such evil influences. He asked 
if he could not be taken to some hospital. This, 
however, was impossible, as he was too weak to be 
removed. We told him that the Lord was both able 
and willing to save him there, and that he must look 
away from his surroundings^ get his eye fixed on 
Jesus, and cry for mercy until the Lord came to his 
help. This he promised to do. When we again 
called, we found him very low, but still striving to 
get to the Lord. As we commenced singing the 
mother began her religious exercise. We silenced her, 



40 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

and continued singing and praying with him, until 
the Lord came to his relief. We left him feeling 
greatly encouraged and comforted, but not fully satis- 
fied. Soon after we held another season of prayer 
with him, and he received the blessed assurance of 
sins forgiven, and praised the Lord for a long time. 
The last words we heard him say were : '^ I am all 
ready to die now'' Sammy had a brother, a moral, 
respectable young man, who lived some distance from 
the city. This brother came a few days before Sam- 
my's death, and took the entire care of him. He died 
in his arms, his last words being an exhortation to 
this brother to meet him in Heaven. 



WILLIAM H. 

William H was a young man of education 

and refinement, and possessed of remarkable intelli- 
gence. His friends asked us to visit him and labor 
for the salvation of his soul. We found him suffer- 
mg extremely in body and mind. He was afflicted 
with that most painful of all diseases, a cancer, and 
was "without God and without hope in the world." 

When we inquired into the state of his soul, he said 
that he was not prepared to die, but was seeking the 
Lord and did not mtend to give up until he found 
the Saviour. He seemed deeply grateful for our visit. 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 41 

and urged us to come often, which we did, always 
using every means for his conversion ; but something 
seemed to stand between him and the blessing. 

He had a frail, delicate wife, and a beautiful child 
about two years old. It was hard for him to con- 
sent to die and leave these dear ones in this cold, 
unfriendly world. He knew too well the hardships 
and sorrows that awaited them, and he clung to life 
,for their sakes. For many weeks he was seeking the 
Lord *^ with weeping and with supplication." At 
length the last point was yielded, wife and child 
given up, and his whole heart said ^^ not my will, but 
thine, O Lord, be done." Then the power of God 
came on him, and salvation like a river flowed through 
his soul, washing away every sin, and filling his poor 
broken heart with joy and gladness. 

What a change his word can make, 

Turning darkness into day ; 
Ye who weep for Jesus' sake, 

He will wash your sins away. 

The once sorrowful and careworn countenance was 
changed to that of happiness and resignation. From 
the hour of his conversion until his death, which 
was several months after, the language of his heart 
seemed to be , 

O, what are all my sufferings here, 

If, Lord, thou count me meet 
With that enraptured host to appear, 

And worship at thy feet ! 



42 BRANDS Jh^ROM THE BURNING. 

Give joy or grief, give ease or pain, 

Take life or friends away — 
But let me find them all again 

In that eternal day. 

They were in very destitute circumstances, often 
suffering the want of all things. When we first vis- 
ited them William was under the doctor's care, and 
quite sick enough to be confined to his bed ; but he 
kept up and labored at light work, trying to provide 
for his invalid wife and helpless child until he was 
unable to leave the house. When he could no longer 
work, the support of the family came on his aged 
widowed mother, who was much needed as a nurse 
in that distressed household, but being the only one 
who was able to work, stern necessity demanded 
that she should do what she could to keep the fam- 
ily from starvation. Could she have worked during 
the day and been allowed to stay with her family at 
night she could have assisted much in caring for the 
sick. But failing to find employment nearer home, 
she was obliged to go at service with a family residing 
many miles from the city. And as it cost about three 
dollars to go and return, she could only visit her poor 
sick son about once in four or five weeks. Then with 
what remained of her month's wages she relieved 
their most pressing wants. But there was rent and 
doctor's bills to pay, fuel and provisions to buy, 
besides medicines and many other things necessary 
for the sick, so that her scanty earnings could do but 
little toward meeting the many wants of the family. 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 43 

With the money and provision given us for the poor 
we supplied them with many comforts during the 
winter months. But having so many sick ones to 
help, and so little means at our disposal, oftentimes 
we are obliged to witness hear-trending scenes of 
suffering, which we are unable to relieve ; and thus it 
was in the case of William. 

At one time we called and found his wife lying on 
the floor in spasms, mostly unconscious, but every 
few minutes she would revive a little and say, '^ Did 
I hear William say that he was hungry ; did any- 
one give him his breakfast ? Where is little Georgia ; 
is she hungry, too ? " We soon learned the cause of 
this distress ; the poor creature had watched over her 
sick husband all night alone. It was then eleven 
o'clock, and none of them had eaten breakfast, and 
there was neither food nor fuel in the house. 
Exhausted from the want of sleep and food, and 
knowing there was nothing for her husband and 
child, she sank under the weight of woe in the con- 
dition in which we found her. William was in a little 
dark bedroom, trying to dress his cancer, which pain- 
ful task he had always to perform himself, as his 
wife would faint when she attempted it, and she was 
his only nurse. Little Georgia sat playing with some 
toys, happily unconscious of the wretchedness that 
surrounded her. We stood looking on this affecting 
scene, wondering what could be done, as we had no 
means with which to relieve them, when suddenly 
there was a knock at the door, and a lady entered 



44 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

followed by a boy, who carried a large basket well 
filled with fruits, meats and vegetables. She left two 
dollars with which to purchase fuel, and promised to 
send a basket of groceries, and also some one to 
help them. 

We learned that William had formerly lived seven 
years with this lady, who, hearing of their destitution, 
had come to their relief. She was a stranger to us, 
but we looked upon her as an angel of mercy, and 
felt to exclaim with the Psalmist : " Blessed is he 
that considereth the poor." 

A stroke of paralysis terminated the sufferings of 
poor William a few days after this, and he no longer 
needed assistance from earthly friends. He died 
much sooner than we expected he would. Had the 
disease run its course, he must have lived many 
months longer, a poor sufferer, but the Lord in mercy 
took him to himself the latter part of the month of 
October, so that he spent the following bitter cold 
winter in the " Paradise of God,'' where 

No chilling winds, or pois'nous breath, 

Can reach that healthful shore ; 
Sickness and sorrow, pain and death, 

Are felt and fear'd no more. 

After the stroke he was unconscious the most of the 
time ; but just before he breathed his last, he said 
to his wife : '^ I am dying, and going to Heaven." 

" These are they which came out of great tribu- 
lation." 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 45 



CHAPTER III 



DEATH-BED TRIUMPHS. 



ELIZABETH D. 

In an old tenement house, surrounded by poverty, 
we found this child of sorrow. She was in the first 
stage of consumption, suffering extremely from a bad 
sore on one of her limbs, and in a delicate condition 
otherwise. The hard times had reduced them to the 
most extreme poverty. The husband — a sober, indus- 
trious man — could find no work, except occasionally 
a catch-job, by which he was enabled to earn a few 
shillings. There were four small children to be 
clothed and fed, rent to pay, fuel to buy, etc. Hence 
the sick wife and aged grandmother were obliged 
to work beyond their strength when fortunate enough 
to get a little washing and ironing to do. The poor 
creature was unprepared to die, but confessed her 
need of religion, and the tears coursed down her 
cheeks as we talked with her about the sinner's 
Friend. We prayed with her, and urged her to set 
about seeking her soul's salvation without delay. 



46 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

We continued our visits, and for a few months gave 
them such assistance as we could ; but having only 
a little money with which to help the many needy 
ones we were visiting, we were often obliged to wit- 
ness heart-sickening scenes of suffering, which our 
limited means would not permit us to relieve. At 
one time we found her in great bodily distress, the 
tears streaming down her face, while her bony fingers 
were employed in sewing on an old garment which 
we had given her ; this she was trying to fix over 
into a dress for one of the children. The grand- 
mother was pouring hot water over some dry bread- 
crusts, which were to serve for their dinner. When 
asked if that was all they had to eat, she replied, 
" Yes, and this the children begged, and we are very 
thankful for it ; but poor Libbie can't eat it, her 
appetite is so very poor. ^ I wish I had something 
that she could eat." When we inquired how it was 
with her soul, she said she was trying to get to the 
Lord, but her bodily sufferings were so great, 
together with her family cares and temporal dis- 
tresses, that it seemed about impossible to keep her 
mind fixed on eternal things. And indeed, when 
we looked at her surroundings, we could not wonder 
that it was so. 

At this time, not only Elizabeth, but many other 
poor sick ones, were so pinched with cold and hunger, 
that it seemed about useless to labor for the conver- 
sion of their souls until we could relieve their bodily 
wants. We carried our burden to the Lord, and 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 47 

asked him to move some one to send us help. We 
remembered one person, who, on giving us a large 
donation for the poor a year before, had said, " When 
you get in a strait place let me know," or something 
to that effect. We thought surely this is a strait 
place, and although we felt delicate about applying so 
soon to one who had done so much, we resolved to 
write a few lines, stating facts, and leave the event 
with the Lord. Before our letter had time to reach 
its destination, we received one from that same indi- 
vidual, with an order for two hundred dollars enclosed. 
Thank God there are some souls who live within 
speaking distanceof the Lord ; and who, with their ear 
turned toward the throne, say, " Speak, Lord, thy serv- 
ant heareth.'* We felt quite rich, and resolved to make 
that two hundred dollars last until spring, by using 
only fifty of it each month ; thus keeping something 
on hand for the relief of the sick and extreme cases of 
suffering. We did so, and many were the baskets of 
delicacies that poor Elizabeth and others of the starv- 
ing sick enjoyed from that bounty. The Lord bless 
the donor ; we are not allowed to give the name, or 
we should be more than glad to do so. But let not 
those who have given less, feel that their offerings 
are not appreciated. Every remittance to this mis- 
sion, however small the sum, if it be but len cents, 
seems to come as directly from the Lord to help 
some special case of distress then on hand. And so 
with the clothing. Each box and barrel seems to 
contain just the very things we need for some poor sick 
or deslitutc one. 



48 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

After the donations were sent in to the mission that 
winter, we were enabled to clothe Elizabeth and the 
little ones quite comfortably. The boxes and barrels 
contained garments for each of the children, which 
seemed to have been sent in expressly for them. 
Even the wee babe was not forgotten ; but its stay in 
this vale of tears was only four weeks, just long 
enough to show 

How sweet a flower in Paradise would bloom. 

One of the boxes contained a nice warm double- 
gown and a skirt ; in these we wrapped the skeleton 
form of the poor consumptive mother. This timely 
aid of food and clothing seemed to give her a little 
strength, and although unable to stand on her feet, 
she tried to assist the grandmother in washing and 
ironing while sitting in her chair ; but her delicate 
frame soon sunk under this effort to labor, and she 
was again prostrated on her bed, which she never left 
until released by death. 

After our supplies for the poor were exhausted, 
she again often suffered extremely for want of 
proper nourishment ; but in the midst of all her 
trials, she was earnestly seeking the Lord, and did 
finally, through much tribulation, enter the kingdom 
of grace. This was about four weeks before she 
died. We were not present when the Lord spoke 
peace to her soul, but as we entered her room a 
day or two after, she reached out her hand (while 
glory and victory beamed from her countenance). 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 49 

exclaiming: ** I have found Jesus! O, glory! I 

have found Jesus !*' 

We asked when Jesus came to her soul. She 

replied, ^' Wednesday afternoon I had a poor spell, 

and thought I was going to die ; I began to think 

I must make haste and get to Jesus before it was 

too late ; then I began more earnestly than ever 

before to call on the Lord for help, all alone by 

niyself. Pretty soon I saw my blessed Jesus right 

there (pointing to the foot of her bed), and he 

spoke peace to my soul. Precious Jesus ! Glory be 

to his holy name ! When the glory came in my 

soul, I lost my strength, and mother, thinking I 

was fainting or dying, began to put vinegar and 

water on my face to revive me ; but when I could 

speak, I said: *I don't want no more vinegar on 

my face; Fm all right, I'm talking to my Jesus; 

he has forgiven all my sins. Bless his holy name ! ' 

O, glory, glory, glory to his name. I ain't had any 

pain in my body since I found my Jesus • he has 

taken it all away. O, glory to his name Now I'm 

all ready to die any time Mo her elis me mustn't 

talk or praise the Lord so much, for it hurts me. 

Well, glory to my Jesus, if it makes me go home 

quicker, amen, for I must praise my blessed Saviour." 

She then asked after two of the missionaries, who 

were away in the country. ^^Oh!" said she, '^ write 

and tell them what Jesus has done for my soul. 

How I wish I could have one shout with them 

before I cross over. And the good minister (Brother 
5 



50 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

Parry), who often comes and prays with me, and 
baptized and buried my baby, tell him I want to 
see him. I want to tell him what Jesus has done 
for my soul." As we were about to leave, we placed 
a small sum of money in her hand. "Ah," said she, 
"it won't be long that I shall need money, food or 
clothing; I'll soon be in my Father's house, where 
there's a plenty, and I'll be clothed with righteous- 
ness. O glory, glory ! Well," she continued, " my 
Lord only know^s how much I've suffered for food 
since I've been sick ; but now, when I get hungry, 
and haven't anything to eat, I feed on Jesus." 

For over half an hour she talked in this strain, 
and her voice, which had been so feeble, was loud 
and strong. At another time when we called she 
said : " I'm all ready and waiting. I'm almost home. 
When I'm gone, if you ever want to see me you'll 
have to come to glory, for I'll be there. O, glory to 
my Jesus ! and when you come here and look on my 
dead body, you may think — Elizabeth is in glory!" 
In this triumphant state of mind she continued to 
the very last. It is impossible to repeat half of the 
burning words that fell from her lips. 

When dying, she was conscious that the time of 
her departure was at hand, and was very desirous 
of seeing the missionaries once more before she died. 
We were sent for, but did not receive the message 
until after her death. Her mother said she praised 
the Lord as long as she could speak, and just before 
she breathed her last, she said ; " I'm going now 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 5 1 

soon, and you'll have to watch close or I'll slip 
away when you don't know it. Old Jordan is going 
to be calm when I cross over. Tell the missionary 
sisters I've gone Home." Presently they noticed she 
had ceased breathing. Just when she passed away 
they did not know. ^^O, death, where is thy sting? 
O, grave, where is thy victory j^" 



CONVERSION OF MARY LONES. 

We were requested to visit a young woman, nearly 
gone with consumption, who resisted every effort that 
was made to bring her to Christ, We went, trusting 
in* the Lord for help. She received us respectfully, 
but seemed quite careless about her soul. The Spirit 
of the Lord soon touched her heart, and she became 
distressed on account of her sins ; at one time while 
praying with her she began to plead in real earnest 
for herself, and continued in prayer until she could 
say, ^^ I am the Lord's, and he is mine." A sweet 
peace settled down on her soul, and soon after, she 
received the clear witness that her sins~ were forgiven. 
Although she was very weak, and could hardly speak 
above a whisper, yet when the Lord set the seal of 
his Spirit to the work wrought in her soul, her 
shouts of victory could be heard through the entire 
building. 



52 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING, 

She soon began to yearn for entire sanctification ; 
and her soul was greatly drawn out in prayer for the 
blessing. At one time we read to her the fourth chap- 
ter of ist John, and encouraged her to look to be made 
perfect in love, to believe for it and expect it every 
moment until it was given. ^^ Oh ! " said she, "that 
is just what I need, and I am praying for it all the 
while " — although she did not know the name of the 
blessing she was seeking. She had many conflicts with 
the powers of darkness before she obtained this victory. 
At length the all-cleansing touch was given. It was 
about five o'clock one Sabbath evening a few weeks 
before her death. Her soul had been much drawn out 
in prayer all day for purity of hem^t. She said the 
Spirit fell on her, and seemed to go through both 
soul and body. She had been confined to her bed — 
and was so weak we thought she would never again 
stand on her feet ; but when she received this blessing 
she not only had the use of her voice, but walked the 
floor back and forth, shouting aloud, *' Glory to God." 
We were told that she had naturally a fiery dispo- 
sition, but after this baptism she w^as all patience, 
resignation, love and praise. Her sufferings were 
very great toward the last, but not a murmur or 
complaint was ever heard. Neither tongue nor pen 
can describe some of the scenes witnessed in that 
little room.. From the time that she received the 
blessing of perfect love, until her death, her sky was 
unclouded, her conversation in heaven, and her ex- 
periencC; although a young convert, was that of a 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 53 

mature christian. Her light on the things of God 
and the state of deceived professors of religion was 
wonderful. She seemed to have an unclouded view 
of her heavenly inheritance, and longed to depart 
and be with Christ. On one occasion when we were 
singing, 

Filled with delight my raptured soul, 

Would here no longer stay, 
Though Jordan's waves around me roll, 

Fearless I. launch away^- 

she raised her hand in triumph, and repeated the 
word ^^ fearless, fearless,'" while glory unspeakable 
beamed from her countenance. At times when talk- 
ing or singing of her heavenly home, she appeared 
more like an inhabitant of heaven than of earth. 
She was truly the most beautiful, angelic-looking 
being we ever saw. She died in triumph. Was con- 
scious to the last, and whispered, '^ I walk through 
the valley in peace ; " then pointing to each one that 
stood around her bed, she raised her hand as if to 
say, "meet me in heaven." She then folded her 
hands on her breast, looked up, smiled, and was 
gone. / 

Glory to God and the Lamb forever, another 
safely landed. 



54 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

ROBERT HILLS. 

One day, while visiting in Thirtieth street, we 
found this young man very low with consumption. 
A few months previous he had been married in 
North Carolina, and shortly after coming to New 
York he was taken sick, and went to the hospital 
to receive medical treatment. He stayed there only 
two weeks, and when he had again commenced 
housekeeping he began work and continued in the 
service of a private family until three weeks before 
his death. 

When we found him he was extremely weak in 
body, yet seemed very anxious about his soul. He 
was unable to talk to us that day, but we failed 
not to call upon him the following morning. When 
we questioned him about his soul he whispered, " I'm 
not ready to die ; I want religion." We told him 
the Lord was willing and ready to save him that 
hour, but he looked doubtful and seemed to think 
he must repent more and have a hard struggle. 

As we sang, 

Show pity, Lord, O Lord forgive, 
Let a repenting rebel live, «&c., 

he began to weep violently, exclaiming with every 
breath, "Lord have mercy on my soul ! " We jomed 
in prayer with him, realized much of the presence 
of God, and felt that Jesus was ready and waitmg 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 55 

to save him just then. He listened attentively 
while we tried to explain the way of faith. While 
we were talking he asked for a glass of water. We 
then said to him, ^^ Mr. Hills, salvation is as free 
for you as this water," and then turned to the last 
chapter of Revelation and read, " And the Spirit and 
the bride say, come ; and let him that heareth say, 
come ; and let him that is athirst, come ; and who- 
soever will, let him take the water of life freely.'* 
^^ When we handed you the glass of water you took 
it and drank ; we could not drink for you, that was 
your part of the work." " Yes,*' he replied. " Well 
now, do just so with the water of life. God holds 
it out to you and says, * Take it, take it freely^' the 
act of coming and taking is yours." He fixed his 
eyes on us with an eager gaze, as though new light 
was breaking on his mind. We then asked, ^^ Do you 
doubt whether you are ready to receive Jesus ? " and 
again read the promise, ^^Let him that is athirst 
come." "Are you athirst? How is your will ? Are 
you willing to be saved ? " He quickly replied, with 
tears in his eyes, "Yes, O yes!" "Then you are 
the very man to whom the Saviour is speaking. He 
is holding out the water of life to yoti^ and tells you 
to drink." His face lit up with a heavenly smile 
as he said, " I see, I see now." " Do you take it 
now?" He replied,"! do." His sadness had fled, 
and joy and peace overspread his countenance. 

His sky was unclouded from that hour. A short 
time after this he said to a friend, "Some way 



56 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. - 

most people make such hard work getting to Jesus, 
but I got religion so easy." One day as his wife 
entered the room she found him clapping his hands 
and praising the Lord. 

On the day of his death he said, '^ I feel that all 
things are right between me and God. My way 
is clear from earth to glory." On being questioned 
more closely as to his soul's safety he replied, ** I 
testify to what I k7tow, Jesus forgives my sins." On 
seeing his wife's grief he asked why she wept, and 
then laughed for joy, saying, '' I am going home. 
This is the end of the race." 



CONVERSION OF MRS. GREEN. 

We found this woman in a back building, over a 
stable with a high fence in front, so that the build- 
ing was entirely hid from the street. In this 
secluded place she was gradually going down to 
the grave with consumption, being unprepared, 
and, apparently, unconcerned about her soul. 

It was a remarkable providence that first led us to 
find her. We had often passed the place — when 
visiting on this street — without suspecting any one 
lived there. One day while visiting through a high 
building opposite, we discovered this house, and on 
inquiry were told that a colored coachman lived 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 57 

there, and that his wife was sick. We went imme- 
diately to the place, rapped at the high gate, and 
was admitted. The man received us with a respect- 
ful bow, and led the way to the house. 

We first entered through the stable, which was 
elegantly finished. From this we ascended one flight 
of stairs, which led to the apartments where the 
coachman lived. The sick one was neatly dressed, 
sitting in an easy chair, at work on some light 
fabric. Two beautiful little girls, tastefully dressed, 
were playing with their dolls, unconscious of the 
great loss they must so soon sustain. The little par- 
lor was remarkable for neatness and order. The 
husband was a sober, industrious man, a good pro- 
vider, and seemed to have a great affection for his 
family. Many of the colored people of New York 
City are beautiful^ intelligent^ and refined, Mrs. Green 
belonged to this class. She was graceful and digni- 
fied in her manners, a lady in every respect. She 
received us cordially, but when approached on the 
subject of religion, was cold and distant, and through 
all our first visits, although polite and respectful, 
her manners seemed to say, I wish you would stay 
away. But this did not discourage us. We had 
met with many cases of the kind before. 

Her husband, although an unconverted man, was 
deeply concerned for her, and begged us to call 
often. He said, " I don't profess religion myself, 
but I believe it necessary, and I know my wife must 
soon die, and I want her to be converted before she 
goes." 



58 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

We continued to call, sing, read the Bible, and 
pray with her. For some weeks she seemed unwill- 
ing to admit the unwelcome truth that she must 
soon die. She clung to her husband and children. 
It was hard to give them up. She hoped to get 
well. At length the Lord awakened her to see her 
lost condition, and she told her husband she wanted 
to see the missionaries. We called and found her 
truly penitent. The great deep of the heart was 
broken up. She cried long and loud for mercy, but 
did not find peace at that time. Shortly after, in a 
little meeting of the missionaries held in her room, 
she was powerfully converted. She had a hard 
struggle with the powers of darkness and unbelief, 
but when husband, children, and all were surren- 
dered, faith won the victory, the long-sought bless- 
ing was given, and her soul clearly saved. She 
walked the floor clapping her hands and exclaiming, 
" It's so easy ! It's so easy ! " She lived but one 
week after her conversion: Just as she was crossing 
the river she said, ^' Oh ! how good Jesus is to me ! " 



LAURA. 

We first met this young woman while distributing 
tracts on Thirty-third street. She was about twenty- 
one years of age, and very fond of gay society. Her 
life of dissipation had ruined her health, and con- 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. S9 

sumption was slowly but surely taking her to an 
early grave. She had been confined to the house 
for several months. 

During the first of her sickness, her mother, a 
Christian woman, talked with her frequently, and 
entreated her to give her heart to God, and get 
ready for death ; but her heart was hard and wicked. 
Her angry words and defiant manner at length dis- 
couraged the mother, and she thought best to say 
no more to her, as it only seemed to make her 
worse , but she cried the more to God in secret, to 
have mercy on her dying prodigal child. 

About this time two of our missionaries called. 
Her mother said she was afraid to have them speak 
to her about religion, lest she should give them an 
insolent reply ; but to her great surprise, she was 
very respectful and much affected , confessed her 
need of a change of heart, and seemed anxious to 
hear about a Saviour. From this time her mother 
noticed a marked change ; she was thoughtful, serious, 
and oftentimes gloomy. 

One day, seeing her look uncommonly anxious 
and troubled, she said : ** Laura, what are you think- 
ing about ? Do you want to see the missionaries 
again ?" She replied : '' Yes, if they come into the 
building, tell them I want to see them.'* They called 
soon after, and found her deeply penitent, groaning 
to be delivered. They encouraged her to pray for 
herself, and expect the Lord to save her then and 
there. As they began to call on the Lord to help, 



6o BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

she broke out in an agony of prayer for herself, and 
continued to cry, like blind Bartimeus, until Jesus 
granted her heart's desire, and set her soul at 
liberty. 

She was sitting in an easy-chair, supported with 
pillows, too weak to kneel ; but when the life-giving 
word was spoken, the resurrection power seemed to 
go through both soul and body. She shouted : 
'^ Glory to God," and springing to her feet, she 
walked the floor, clapping her hands, saying: ^' Jesus, 
O Jesus, precious Jesus !" 

From her conversion until her death this was her 
theme. She often asked us to sing, 

Jesus, my all, to heaven is gone, 
He whom I fix my hopes upon, 

with the chprus, 

All the way along it is Jesus. 

The glory m her soul appeared in her counte- 
nance, and often, when singing and conversing, her 
face would glow with a heavenly radiance which was 
truly angelic. 

With the new creation of soul, her body received a 
touch of strengthening power, and for some weeks 
she was very comfortable, during which time we 
held a weekly meeting in her little room, when she 
would improve the time in testifying for Jesus. One 
young woman who witnessed her joy unspeakable, 
was struck under conviction and converted, and soon 
after fell asleep in Jesus. 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 6l 

Laura's death was triumphant. When the messen- 
ger came, her lamp was burning. Just as she was 
going, she tried to sing, 

All the way along it is Jesus, 

and repeated the words, '' Jesus, Jesus, Jesus," with 
her dying breath. 

Her features were fixed in death with a triumph- 
ant smile, which clearly indicated the unutterable 
bliss which she experienced even while soul and 
body were parting. " O, death, where is thy sting ? 
O, grave, where is thy victory ?" 



SOLOMON CLIFF. 

One night when holding a meeting on Thirty-third 
street, we were told that a very wicked man lay sick 
in the adjoining building. He had been confined 
to his room for s.everal months, diiring which time 
he would allow no one to call and talk with him 
about his soul. It seems he had looked at the un- 
christian conduct of many church members, and had 
become disgusted with even the name of religion. 
He received us coldly at first, but after our first 
visit seemed glad to see us, and wanted some meet- 
ings held in his room. 

In one of these meetings, while one present was 
6 



62 BRANDS FROM THE BURNINCJ. 

Speaking of the power of true religion to change the 
hardest heart and make the worst of sinners new 
creatures m Christ, that all who have the new heart 
always lead a new life, that when we see folks pro- 
fessing religion who lie, cheat and deceive, and are 
light, trifling and worldly, we might know that they 
were strangers to true religion, his eye was fastened 
on the speaker every moment, and from that hour 
the stumbling-block was removed. At the close of 
the meeting he told us that he was a believer in 
that kind of religion, and that he felt his need of 
the great change, and promised never to rest until 
he knew his sins forgiven. 

From that time he was a true mourner, and He 
who hath said, ^^ Blessed are they that mourn for 
they shall be comforted," fulfilled his promise and 
filled his heart with joy unspeakable and full of 
glory. We called to see him soon after the Lord 
spoke peace to his soul. His mother said he slept 
none, but continued to cry to God for mercy all 
night. About three o'clock in the morning his bur- 
den was removed, and peace like a river filled his 
soul. Before this he had been very fretful, the noise 
and dust disturbed him much, but that morning he 
said, " Now, mother, you may make just as much 
noise and dust as you please, nothing disturbs me 
now, I have found Jesus.*' 

We shall never forget his look as he held out 
his hand, saying, ^* I have found the Lord.'' His 
whole appearance was unearthly. When asked " Do 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 6^ 

you believe that Jesus has saved you ? " he replied, 
"I hiow //." "You believe he can save anybody 
since he has saved you ? " The tears streamed 
down his face as he said, " O yes ! anybody^ everybody^ 
all the world !'' 

He was soon after convicted for the blessing of 
entire sanctification. So clear was the light that 
shone on the farther work to be wrought in his soul, 
that at tipfies he was in great heaviness and almost 
doubted the work of justification. This conflict 
lasted several days, when the Lord cut short the 
work in righteousness and filled his soul with that 
perfect love that casteth out all fear. From this 
time his experience was. 

Not a cloud doth arise 
To darken my skies, 
Or hide for one moment 
The Lord from my eyes. 

He often asked us to sing that beautiful hymn, 

My latest sun is sinking fast, 

My race is nearly run, 
My strongest trials now are past, 
' My triumph is begun. 

Chorus— O come, angel band. 

Come and around me stand, 
O bear me away on your snowy wings 
To my immortal home. 

He now sank rapidly, took to his bed immediately, 
and died a few days afterward. For some hours 



64 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING.' 

before he died^ when he seemed to notice nothing 
around him, if he opened his eyes and saw any 
of us by his bedside he would whisper, "Jesus." 
On one occasion, when he recovered from a fainting 
fit, he said to his mother, " O what a blessed time 
I have had." His last word was "Jesus." The 
conversion of this man was a wonderful work of 
God*s grace. He was widely known among the 
wicked, and was a ring-leader among them. His 
death made a deep impression on the minds of 
the people. " Thanks be to God who giveth us 
the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 



CONVERSION OF WILLIAM R. 

When we first found this man, lying sick with 
consumption, he manifested but little concern about 
his soul, but seemed to think he would soon recover. 
We told him that we thought he would die, and 
he must set about getting ready as soon as possi- 
ble. We read and then sang that solemn hymn. 

While life prolong^ its precious light, 
Mercy is found, and peace is given ; 

But soon, ah soon, approaching night, 
Shall blot out every hope of heaven. 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 65 

An unusual degree of the Spirit rested upon us 
while singing and praying with him. He wept 
bitterly, and prayed for himself, but we could hardly 
tell whether his grief was godly sorrow or discour- 
agement at the thought that he must die. We 
visited him for several days, and did all we could 
to relieve his sufferings which were extreme. He 
was wasted to a mere skeleton, his bones were worn 
through his skin from lying on a hard pallet, from 
which he seemed to suffer more than from his dis- 
ease. We bought him a bed and made him quite 
comfortable. After this he allowed us to talk very 
plainly with him about his soul, and was soon deeply 
awakened and seemed all in earnest to get to Christ. 
So great was his distress of soul that his body 
sank very rapidly. We greatly feared that death 
would do its work before the poor heavy laden sin- 
ner found peace. He had been a very wicked man, 
^ a notorious drunkard, and had abused his wife and 
family shamefully. It seemed to be hard work for 
him to believe that Jesus would have mercy on one 
so vile as he. We assured him that God was no 
respecter of persons, that Jesus had died for all, 
even the chief of sinners, and it was his duty to 
believe it ; and to doubt the willingness of Christ to 
save him would be a greater sin than all the rest. 
One encouraging feature in his case was, that he 
seemed unwilling to take up with anything short of 
a clear evidence of his conversion. One afternoon, 
as we left him, we repeated that verse, 



66 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

Believe in him who died for thee, 

And sure as he hath died, 
Thy debt is paid, thy soul is free. 

And thou art justified. 

The next morning we found him rejoicing in 
Christ as his Saviour. The first words he said to us 
were, " I have found Jesus^ I have found Jesus'* 

He lived several weeks after his conversion, then 
died in triumph, exclaiming, " I see Jesus, T see 
Jesus." 

Drunkards, for you he shed his blood, 

Your basest crimes he bore, 
Your sins were all on Jesus laid, 

That you might sin no more. 



CONVERSION AND TRIUMPHANT DEATH OF 
MR. CALAMAN. 

While distributing tracts through a tenement house 
on Twenty-sixth Street, we found a man in the first 
stage of consumption, confined to .the house, but not 
to his bed. He was intelligent, refined, industrious, 
and a good provider when able to work. His wife, 
although in poor health, \Yas a hard-working woman 
Their little room, though scantily furnished, was 
remarkable for order and neatness. Two beautiful 
little girls, clean, and tastefully dressed, were play 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 67 

ing in one corner of the room, unconscious of the 
sorrow that filled their parents* hearts. 

The sick man was unsaved, but seemed glad to 
converse about his soul. Said he needed religion, 
and was glad to have us pray for him. He com- 
menced from that hour to seek the Lord. We called 
on him often. At times he would receive some com- 
fort, and then fall back into unbelief. He was of 
a doubting, fearful turn of mind. But Jesus knows 
no hard cases. 

Finally one day while we were singing and pray- 
ing with him, he received the clear witness of the 
Spirit, and could sing, 

I know that my Redeemer lives — 
What joy the blest assurance gives. 

On Tuesday, the eleventh of the month, he thought 
he was dying, and asked to have the missionaries 
sent for, as he wanted to have them sing. It rained, 
but we went to him immediately. When he saw us, 
he began to praise the Lord, and said : " O I am so 
glad you have come. I was afraid you would not. 
I wanted to see you so much once more before I 
go ; but I felt sure if I did not see you here, I 
should meet you on the other shore. I will soon 
be there. I thought I was just gomg an hour or 
two ago, and O, how I wanted to hear some one 
sing; but my wife was so overcome, she could not." 
We asked : '* Is there any particular hymn you wish 
to have sung?"' He replied: ^'Yes.' We then sang. 



6S BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

O would my Lord his servant meet, 
My soul would stretch her wings in haste ; 
Fly fearless through death's iron gate, 
Nor feel the terrors as she passed. 

Jesus can make a dying bed 
• Feel soft as downy pillows are, 
While on his breast I lean my head,. 
And breathe my life out sweetly there. 

While we were singing this and several other hymns, 
he rejoiced with joy unspeakable. Heaven seemed 
full in view, and his soul just on the wing to go. 
After a terrible paroxysm of pain and fainting, he 
said : "Now lay me down that I may ga easy.*' We 
expected every moment would be his last, but he 
revived again, and said : " When I am gone, look 
after my wife. She is a good woman, and has not 
left a stone unturned in caring for me." Then he 
added : " I had expected to die on the thirteenth, 
but I guess I will go to-day. I had a vision a short 
time ago. I saw my wife in a beautiful dress about 
to be married; there was a large company and 
bands of music — O, such music I never heard !'* 
As he said this, the tears flowed, and his face lit up 
with a heavenly smile as he repeated : " O, such 
music I never heard before, and it was the thir- 
teenth, and I thought that is the day I shall die. 
But I seem to be going before ; it is all well, how- 
ever." 

After staying with him about an hour, we again 
commended him to God in prayer, bid him fare- 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 69 

well, and left, promising to meet him on the other 
shore. 

We did not think he would live more than an 
hour or two at the longest ; but strange as it may 
seem, he lived until the thirteenth, and died at half- 
past nine in the morning, as easy as though falling 
asleep, but kept his confidence firm to the last. 

His wife is a devoted Christian, and we doubt 
not, on that day the Lord fulfilled his promise to 
the poor widow: ^* Thy Maker is thy husband." 
Isa. liv. 5. 



CHARLES FREEMAN, THE CHIMNEY- 
SWEEP. 

We had known this man some length of time 
before his conversion. He was notoriously wicked 
— given to gambling, drinking, fighting, Sabbath- 
breaking, swearing and all manner of sin. One day, 
when the missionaries were calling on his family, 
he returned home very much intoxicated, with 
his face bruised and swollen from a recent fight. 
Seeing them about to leave the room as he came 
in, he said, " Ladies, you ain't going away without 
praying, are you ? Oh, do pray before you go. If 
you will I will get right down on my knees." As 
he behaved civilly, they complied with his request, 



yo BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

and had much liberty in asking the Lord to help 
the poor sinner to break off from his sins. When 
they arose he was weeping and thanked them for 
praying for him. 

After he was confined to his room with his last 
sickness, we called often, and labored with him 
faithfully, but we found him a hard case indeed. We 
think the Lord Jesus never saved a soul that was 
nearer hell than Charles Freeman. His old master 
had fast hold of him, while his besetting sins, like 
so many strong chains, bound and held him back 
from Christ. Although so wicked he often seemed 
glad to see us, and often expressed a desire for 
religion. We told him plainly that he must break off 
from all his bad habits. His being confined to the 
house did not put him beyond the reach of these 
temptations, for he was surrounded by his wicked 
companions. The house in which he lived and the 
adjoining buildings were filled with the worst of 
characters. Fighting, drinking, gambling and carous- 
ing were carried on by day and night. In the earlier 
period of his sickness many of these thronged to his 
room to indulge, to say the least, in unprofitable 
conversation. But the Lord fastened conviction on 
his heart, so that he grew sick of sin, disgusted with 
all his neighbors, and even the sound of their 
drunken revels became distasteful to him. He, 
moreover, broke off from drinking, and the Lord 
so deepened conviction in his soul, that he saw him- 
self the chief of sinners, and prayed earnestly for 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 71 

mercy ; but was so liable to be overcome by his quick 
temper and habit of swearing, that he made slow 
progress in getting saved. These angry fits, yielded 
to, grieved the Spirit, deadened his convictions, 
cooled his desires, and left him in a stupid, careless 
state. He saw this, and confessed it with tears. 
We encouraged him to look to the Lord for help to 
overcome the wicked one, who actually possessed and 
led him captive at his will. Poor Freeman ! it was 
a hard battle he had to fight with the world, the 
flesh, and the devil, before he could get into the 
kingdom. His home, like that of the drunkard, was 
stripped of all comforts. When his emaciated body 
needed a soft bed, he had nothing but a hard pallet 
of straw ; and a piece of thin carpeting with two 
old coats, was all the covering he had during weeks 
of the coldest weather of winter. In short, he was 
destitute of about all the necessaries of life when he 
most needed them. 

One day we all went and had a season of prayer 
with him. The Lord gave us access to the throne ; 
Jesus seemed present to save, and we felt at, that 
moment there was efficacy enough in his blood to 
wash away the sin of the entire world, but the 
enemy powerfully withstood, and for a time, seemed 
to defeat us. Like the demoniac in the gospel, when 
he was coming the devil thrust him down ; so in 
this case, just as poor Freeman was at the point of 
victory, his mind was disturbed and his attention 
called off by a circumstance very trying in its nature. 



72 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

We saw the enemy in the whole affair, and told him 
that the devil, seeing him about to be saved, had 
'' come down, having great w^ath," knowing that his 
time was short. We encouraged him to look for the 
Lord to save him then and there. He again began 
to weep and pray ; we looked to the Lord for help, 
and mstead of praying, commanded the devil in the 
name of Jesus to leave him, and he was delivered 
that moment, and began to say, " Jesus is my Sav- 
iour, I do believe in him, and he does save me ! I 
can now trust; he is my Saviour — ?ny Saviour/'* 
After giving him money to buy medicine and relieve 
their pressing wants, we left him, feeling assured the 
Lord would more fully set his seal to the work, 
which he did a few hours after, when he received 
the full witness of the Spirit, and rejoiced with joy 
unspeakable and full of glory. The next time we 
called he was so happy he could hardly find words 
to express his joy. He said, when we commanded 
the devil to leave him, he felt the power of God go 
all through him, and was enabled at that moment 
to lay hold on Christ and claim him as his Saviour, 
which victory he kept to the last. At one time when 
we called, he said : ^^ I am the happiest man that 
ever lived! but before I experienced religion this 
sick-bed was a wretched place. I was murmuring to 
my wife half of the time ; nothing pleased me. 
Then the thought of dying and going to the judg- 
ment with such a wicked heart was misery enough, 
but now I know that Jesus saves me, and when I 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 73 

die I shall go to live with him forever, and this is 
happiness enough. All is right now. If I have any- 
thing to eat all is well ; or if I have nothing to eat, 
all is weliy At another time he said, "Oh! what a 
wonder that I am saved ; I was going straight to 
hell, but now I have turned about and am on the 
road to heaven. I would not give what I now feel 
for all this world ; my bed is hard, I lie here in this 
open house, the wind blows around my head, I 
shiver with the cold, but what of that ? I am just as 
happy as I can live in the body. My physician 
comes to see me often ; he reads the Bible and 
explains it to me, and prays with me. Oh ! he is 
such a lovely gentleman, indeed a lovely gentle- 
man." 

When dying, he asked them to send for the mis- 
sionaries, as he wished to see them once more be- 
fore he passed away. A man was sent immediately, 
but mistaking the street, failed to find us. On his 
returning without us he seemed greatly disappointed. 
The man offered to go again, but he shook his head, 
turned his face toward the wall and lived only a 
few minutes. His wife said he seemed for some 
time to be holding on to life to see us. We should 
have been glad to have heard from his lips his 
dying testimony, but his wife, and others who were 
with him said he died in triumph. He tried to 
sing with his dying breath, " ' I'm going home to 
die no more.' I shall soon be in heaven, fanned by 

the angels. All is well. I'm falling asleep in Jesus." 

7 



74 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

CONVERSION OF JOSEPH, THE CHIMNEY- 
SWEEP, AND LIZZIE, HIS WIFE. 

We found this interesting colored couple living in 
a dark, damp basement. Lizzie was dangerously 
sick, Joseph without work, and they were suffering 
extremely for the necessaries of life. They had seen 
better days, had been able to rent a comfortable 
room, and had it neatly furnished : but work ^..topped, 
sickness and misfortunes came, and then all their 
little savings of years had to be sold or pawned, 
until they were stripped of ever}'thing. Their neat 
little room had to be changed for the damp cellar 
with cheap rent, in which wretched abode we found 
them. They were both unsaved, but before we could 
reach their souls, we had to relieve their bodily 
wants. With the supplies placed in our hands for 
the poor, we furnished them with food, fuel, clothing 
and bedding, making them comparatively comfort- 
able. The woman began to recover, and listened 
attentively while we talked to her about Jesus. Soon 
she was deeply concerned for her soul, and a few 
weeks after was soundly converted to God. The 
change was wonderful ; she was naturally of a hasty 
spirit, and often murmured that her trials were so 
great ; but after the Lord saved her, she said the 
''quick temper'' was all gone, and she felt like prais- 
ing God for all their trials, for they had been the 
means of bringing her to Christ, 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 75 

All the time of Lizzie's sickness, Joseph was in 
good health — a man of powerful frame, weighing 
about two hundred and sixty ; but the damp, impure 
air of the cellar in which they lived undermined his 
strong constitution, and his wife had scarcely 
recovered, when he was taken violently sick with 
rheumatism and pneumonia. During his sickness, 
when questioned about his soul, he was very tender ; 
said he wanted the same kind of religion that his 
wife had, and that he was seeking the Lord, and 
intended to seek until he found mercy. During his 
affliction the missionaries often prayed with him. 
He always told them that he had given up all of 
his sins, and was earnestly praying day and night. 
One day, while laboring with him, they sung : 
** Jesus saves me just now ;'* and he began to repeat 
the words, "Jesus saves me just now," at first very 
faintly, but his voice grew stronger and more positive, 
and at length he exclaimed : " O, yes, Jesus does 
save me, even me^ just now ! I feel it. I know it /" 
The whole transaction was very quiet, but genuine. 

We had always carried him some little nourish- 
ment, and when about to leave, we asked what 
we should bring him the next time we came, he 
replied: "O, nothing, nothing. I'se got Jesus now; 
I wants nothing else." 

He partially recovered from this sickness, so that 
he was able to work a little at times ; but his lungs 
were never sound again. He was soon taken down 
with a slow consumption, and during a long, cold 



76 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

winter, he was confined to his bed. They must 
have perished with cold and hunger, but for the 
means placed in our hands for these poor sufferers. 
We took nearly the whole care of them during theii 
affliction. 

Lizzie is a frail, delicate little creature, unable to 
do very hard work. During the fore part of the 
winter she had work as cook in a saloon. She was 
obliged to leave her sick husband at six o'clock in 
the morning, and be gone until nine in the evening. 
She would leave him as comfortable as she could, 
but we often found him without food or fire. He 
would say, " Poor Lizzie can't help it. She works 
very hard to take care of me. She leaves a fire, but 
the stove is small, it soon goes out." We often had 
to rebuild the fire and prepare something for him 
to eat. They had moved from the cellar to a garret, 
where the air was not so damp, but it was very open 
and uncomfortable. At one time when we called we 
saw the wall over his bed very wet. He said the 
rain and snow-water had leaked through and wet his 
bed. Though wasted to a mere skeleton, and suffering 
terribly that morning, he was praising the Lord with 
every breath. When we inquired the cause of his 
pain he replied, '^ You see, ladies, I'se very poor, an' 
de bones on my hips an' back are all wore through 
de skin, so if I lays on dis side it's all sore, an' if I 
lays on de odder side dat's sore, an' de back is all raw. 
Oh, you don't know how I suffers ! but it's all right, 
all right, I don't complain. I says sometimes, ' Oh, 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 77 

dear Lord, jes' let me hab a leetle rest, jes' a leetle/ 
I sleeps none day nor night, but I don't fret, I lays 
here an' praises de good Lord for all his mercies 
to me." 

Our sympathies were deeply moved for the poor, 
patient sufferer. We told him that we would try 
and do something for his relief. We returned home 
and sent him some more of the bedding, a basket of 
delicacies, some anodyne to ease his pain, and an air 
pillow, which is a rubber ring filled with air — a won- 
derful invention for the relief of those who are suffer- 
ing from bed sores. They gave him a dose of the 
anodyne, placed the rubber ring under him, and in 
a few minutes he was perfectly easy ; then his grati- 
tude knew no bounds He praised the Lord with all 
his powers for answering his prayers, by giving him 
such a glorious rest from all his pains. He begged 
of them not to let him sleep, as he wanted to keep 
awake to praise the Lord for His goodness. After 
taking the anodyne a few days he said, '' I don't 
want to take any more ob dat stuff, 'cause it makes 
me sleep too much. I loses too much time. I want 
to lay 'wake an' praise de good Lord wid every 
breath, an' keep watch ob ole Satin, so he don't git 
in my heart agin." 

But neither tongue nor pen can ever describe the 
scenes we have witnessed in that little garret. His 
heart seemed constantly to overflow with love to 
God, and his face shone with heavenly light. When 
we called to see him he wanted to talk of nothing 



78 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

but the goodness of the Lord, and often, with eyes 
and hands raised toward heaven and the tears rolling 
down his cheeks, he would try to tell what Jesus had 
done for his soul. But language seemed too lame 
to express the wonderful revelation of divine glory 
that he experienced from day to day. At one time, 
as we were about to leave him, we asked what we 
should bring him when we came again. He replied, 
'^ Now you ladies may tink I eats a good deal as I 
lay here doin' nothin', but I tells you, dear ladies, 
I often gits to thinkin' how good de dear Lord is, 
how much he has done for me, de glory Til hab 
when Fse done wid dis worl', an' how soon Fse goin' 
to de glory-worr, an' I feels full an' I don't git 
hungry, Fse so full ob de glory." His daily expe- 
rience seemed expressed by the poet. 

And now I'm so blest with his love, 
I covet not earth's golden store ; 
He visits me oft from above — 
I have him, I want nothing more. 

Once while telling us of the joy unspeakable that 
filled his soul from day to day, he said : " An' den 
as I lays here an' tinks 'bout how little dis worl' is, 
an' sees de glory-worl', what does I care for de tings 
ob dis life. Here we go right up to Heben," and 
he raised his arms shouting, *^ Glory, glory," until it 
seemed that soul and body must part. He seemed 
to think the chariot had come. At another time he 
told us that he had a nice fine coat in the pawn- 



I 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 79 

shop, and in some way he had been wronged out of 
it. He said that morning he was so much worse, 
that his wife asked him what she should do when 
he was gone, and among other things, asked what 
she should do about the coat in which she had 
intended to dress him for burial. He said that for 
a few moments the enemy would like to have both- 
ered him about it ; but presently he said : " What 
does I care for de ole coat. Tse soon done wid dis 
worr, den I wants no more clothes ; let dem keep 
de coat ; I don't want it, an' I won't gib way to de 
devil for dat ole coat. An' pretty soon, ladies, I 
hears de Lord speak. Yes, as plain as eber I heard 
your voices ; an' he says : ' Neber mine, Joseph, Fse 
got a nicer coat for you up here ;* den 'pears like I 
sees Heben, an' sure 'nuff, dar hangs my coat on de 
door-knob ob de parly gate." His soul went into 
raptures as he described the New Jerusalem. When 
dying, he seemed to see the innumerable company, 
and said to his wife : ** Lizzie, do you see that white 
man by my side ? It is Jesus ; he has his arms tight 
around me, and oh ! how he loves me !" Again he 
asked : " Do you see de bright star ober my bed ? 
De angels are all 'round me an' on my bed." The 
last words he was heard to say were : '^ Glory be to 
God." 

A gentleman in this city, hearing the story of the 
coat, gave us a fine one of his ov/n, in which to 
dress him for burial. 



8o BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

ANNIE WILBERFORCE. 

On Seventh Avenue, in an attic room, lying on a 
poor bed, with but little covering, we found poor 
Annie Wilberforce, about eighteen years of age, 
hastening to the grave with consumption, yet all 
unprepared for death. When we inquired into the 
state of her soul, she said : " I am not ready to die, 
but I am seeking the Lord. I am praying all the 
time." She was very weak, her voice nearly gone, 
and we saw that she had but a short time to live. 
We explained to her the way of salvation through 
Christ — that Jesus had died to save her, and was 
waiting to take possession of her heart the moment 
that she repented and believed in him. We carried 
her case to the Lord in prayer, and then commenced 
singing, 

Just as I am, without one plea, 
But that thy blood was shed for me. 
And that thou bidd'st me come to thee, 
O Lamb of God I come, I come. 

She immediately adopted the language of the hymn 
as her own, and with the tears streaming down her 
cheeks, she repeated : " Yes, Jesus, just as I afn^ 
just as I am, O Lamb of God, I come. Thou wilt 
receive me just as I am. O yes, I come, I come." 
In a few moments her prayer was turned to praise, 
and she broke forth in joyful words, saying : ** O 
yes, Jesus is my Saviour. He saves me just now. 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 8l 

Oh ! sweet Jesus, sweet Jesus, What a sw^eet Jesus 
he is." 

She lived about two weeks after her conversion, 
during which time she continued happy in the Lord. 
At one time when she was thought to be dying, her 
sisters used a restorative, and she revived. When 
able to speak, she said : " It is wicked for you to 
hold me here when the angels came for me, and I 
wanted to go so bad." She lived only a few days 
longer, and then, we trust, was carried by the angels 
to be ^' forever with the Lord." 



NATHANIEL RUSSELL. 

We found this man sick with consumption, but 
able to walk about, and having strong hopes of 
recovery. He belonged to the drinking, gambling, 
swearing class of sinners. When spoken to on the 
subject of religion, he was shy and reserved ; but 
when closely questioned about his soul, he would 
confess that he was a sinner, and that he ought to be 
converted ; but yet he was w^holly unconcerned about 
his eternal welfare. In a few weeks he was confined 
to his room, and finally to his bed. The missiona- 
ries visited him often, and held meetings in his little 
room. 

At length he was brought under deep conviction. 



82 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING, 

gave up all his sinful practices, and began earnestly 
to seek the salvation of his soul. When praying and 
laboring with him, he often seemed comforted and 
encouraged ; but it was a long time after he became 
truly penitent before he clearly received the witness 
that his sins were forgiven. Like the importunate 
widow, however, he continued to cry until he ob- 
tained the victory. One night as he lay praying and 
moaning, unable to sleep from pain of body and 
anguish of mind, the Lord revealed himself to him 
in a most w^onderful manner. We called to see him 
the next day, and found him happy in the Lord. 
With tears rolling down his cheeks, and his whole 
frame shaking with joy, he exclaimed, ^' Jesus has 
come and forgiven all my sins. Last night as I lay 
here I saw Jesus standing there (pointing to a 
window at the foot of his bed ), and he came and 
shook hands with me and said, *Thy sins which are 
many, are all forgiven thee. Go in peace and sin 
no more.' I am so happy, so happy ! O, that I 
could tell you all about it." His wife stepped to 
the window to adjust the curtain, ^^ Oh ! " said he, 
" Don't touch that window, don't touch it, for there 
I first saw my Saviour.' He lived some weeks after 
his conversion, in the same triumphant state of 
mind. At one time he said to us, '^ O, who is so 
happy as I, who is so happy as I ? O, that I could 
tell you, but I can't. God does so fill my heart 
with his love. What a mercy, what a mercy. Oh ! 
what a sinner I have been. How I wish I could see 



t 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. S^ 

my old comrades, and beg them to leave off sinning 
and get religion. I now see why you felt so anxious 
about my soul." At another time when we called and 
inquired if the Lord was still with him, he replied, 
" Jesus stops with me all the time ; he never leaves 
me." We called at another time just after he had 
recovered from a sinking spell, when he was thought 
to be dying, and when he saw us he whispered, "I 
have been down viewing Jordan. It looks good. I 
long to go over." He was failing rapidly, and ex- 
pressed a desire to partake of the Lord's Supper 
before he died. While receiving this sacrament, he 
was greatly blessed, and the presence of God was 
wonderfully felt by all. The dying man was too weak 
to shout aloud, but he could adopt the language of 
the poet. 

When death o'er nature shall prevail, 
And all the powers of language fail, 

J'oy through my swimming eyes shall break, 
And mean the thanks I cannot speak. 

He wept for joy, and whispered, ** O, how precious, 
O, how precious." When we again called, he was 
still lingering on the shores of Time, waiting 
patiently for the Lord to call him Home. 

But as Mrs. Russell was looking very sad, we mis- 
trusted they were in want of something. They made 
no complaint, but when we asked if they were in 
need of anything to make them comfortable, Mr. 
Russell began to weep, and his wife said they were 



84 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

out of everythmg — not one mouthful of food in the 
house, and no money with which to buy, while he, 
with a poor appetite, needed some delicate food. 
We supplied their needs, and continned to do so 
while he lived, which was but a few days longer. 

When dying, his wife said he would frequently 
exclaim, '^ The chariot is coming." Brother Downing, 
agreeable to his request, preached his funeral ser- 
mon, and Brother Mackey buried him injiis ''Saints 
Rest," at Greenwood Cemetery. 



A MIRACLE, 

While visiting among the sick and destitute, we 
found a woman on Varick street, far gone with con- 
sumption. It was one of the worst cases of that 
disease we have ever known. She was wasted to a 
mere skeleton, and her lungs were so badly diseased, 
that the odor in the room was such it was almost 
impossible to stay with her long enough to discharge 
our duty. She was all unprepared to die, and 
mourning deeply on account of her sins. We felt 
that what was done for her must be done quickly, 
as she would soon pass away. We, therefore, called 
often, read and prayed with her, and encouraged 
her to trust alone in Jesus for salvation. 

One sultry day in July, while on our way to visit 



I 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 85 

her, one of the missionaries said, " I fear we will 
not be able to remain in her room any length of 
time to-day, for when we last called, the air was so 
impure that it made us quite sick, and it must be 
worse now." But how were we surprised on enter- 
ing her room to find the offensive odor all gone, the 
bed and room neatly arrayed, and the sick one no 
where to be seen. What had happened ? The first 
thought was, she is dead, yes, she must be dead ; but 
imagine our astonishment when she came walking in 
from an adjoining room, exclaiming, as she met our 
wondering gaze, " O, glory to Jesus, he has con- 
verted my soul and healed my body. He has given 
me a new heart and new lungs, O, glory to his 
name. It was Jesus that did it. It was Jesus that 
did it. I was all alone, praying the Lord to forgive 
my sins, when suddenly the power of God came on 
me and went all through my soul and body ; my bur- 
den of sin was removed, my sore throat all taken 
away, and my cough is all gone." Then she would 
shout victory and glory, often repeating, '^ It was Jesus 
that did it." She assured us that she had taken no 
medicine, and that no earthly remedy had been used 
to restore her health. 

We knew her for two years after this, and there 
was no return of the disease, and she continued 
faithful in the way to heaven. At length she re- 
moved from Varick street, and we lost all trace of 
her, until six years after, when we found her on her 

death-bed. She had kept the faith and died in triumph. 
9 



S6 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

JEREMIAH. 

A christian mother requested us to visit her son, 
who was very sick with consumption. She said he 
was unprepared to die, unconcerned about his soul, 
and felt displeased if spoken to on the subject of 
religion. We called, and found in this good woman's 
son a handsome, intelligent young man about twenty- 
two years of age. As had been represented, he was 
quite unwilling to converse about his soul's salva- 
tion, and when questioned on the subject he would 
remain silent or answer in a quick impatient tone, 
while his face, naturally very expressive, revealed the 
bitterness of his heart and the depravity that reigned 
within. His mother asked us to pray before we left 
him. We did so, and felt an assurance that God 
would touch the hard heart, and we should see him 
saved. We visited him frequently for several weeks, 
but no change was apparent, except that sometimes 
he was more approachable and would seem willing 
to hear us sing and pray. One day when wc called 
we found his father intoxicated ; he was not quarrel- 
some but very talkative and noisy, so that it was 
impossible for us to pray with his poor sick son. 
When we spoke a word of encouragement to Jerry 
he replied impatiently, "There is no use of my try 
ing to get religion in this house while father behaves 
so bad." We had usually taken him some fruit and 
delicate food, for which he was always very grateful. 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 87 

The next time we called his father was not home, 
and we found Jerry more composed. After convers- 
ing and praying with him we asked what he would 
like us to bring him when we came again. He hes- 
itated and replied reluctantly, ^' If it is not asking 
too much, I would like a little preserves." We told 
him that he should have some. As we were bidding 
him good-bye he turned his bright eyes on us and 
with great frankness said, ** Ladies, I am not seeking 
religion, and there is no use saying I am, for the 
sake of — .*' Here he paused, but we read his 
thoughts and added, ''-for the sake of favors 2 " " Yes,'* 
he replied, ^^ that is just what I mean, and I want to 
be honest.'' We urged him solemnly to turn his 
attention to eternal things, and then left him intend- 
ing to call again in a few days. But our mission 
work was now pressing on every side — there being 
many other sick ones to be visited, most of whom 
were seeking the Lord, and besides, there were many 
destitute ones to be cared for — so that nearly two 
weeks passed before we again found time to call on 
poor Jerry. He was very anxious to see us. As we 
entered the door he raised his hand and exclaimed, 
" Oh, I am'so glad that you have come, I want religion 
now. I told you I was not seeking the Lord, but 
I have been seeking him ever since. I got to think- 
ing what 1 had said to you, and it troubled me. I 
began to pray and have been praying ever since, 
night and day. Oh^ pray for me.'' He then broke 
out in prayer for himself, crying, *^ O Lord, have 



88 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

mercy on my poor soul." We engaged in prayer 
and then began to sing '' Jesus saves me just now." 
He soon repeated the words, *^ Yes, Jesus saves me, 
Jesus saves me," and for a moment his faith seemed 
to claim Christ. Then he would waver and with 
tears again cry for mercy, " O Jesus, save. Have 
mercy on me, save me now. Now is the accepted 
time." The conflict with the enemy was severe. He 
seemed to understand that the adversary of his soul 
was trying to defeat him, for he paused and addressed 
the invisible foe in the following language, " Go 
away, devil ! No use for you to come around now 
for Jesus is my Saviour." We doubt whether Jerry 
knew that there was a passage of Scripture which 
reads, "Resist the devil and he will flee from you." 
(James iv., 7.) But he had no sooner commanded the 
enemy to depart than the powers of darkness gave 
way, and he began to praise the God of his salva- 
tion. His eyes sparkled and his face shone with the 
light of Heaven as he exclaimed, "Yes, Jesus is my 
Saviour ; Jesus is my own Saviour. Blessed Jesus ! 
Precious Saviour ! I know he forgives all of my 
sins." We called again the next morning and found 
him still rejoicing in the assurance that his sins 
were all forgiven ; but he said there was something 
more that he wanted. We asked if it was the wit- 
ness of the Spirit that he was seeking. He replied, 
" No ; I am very happy. I have no doubts. I know 
that my sins are all forgiven, but I want more. I 
want to be filled with the Spirit. I want one drop 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 89 

of the blood ; just one drop of Jesus' blood on my heart/'' 
The name of Jesus was almost constantly on his 
lips. He said to us, " That name which is so sweet 
to me now, I did not see anything attractive in 
before. You know what I mean, nothing for me ; 
but now I would rather hear about Jesus than any- 
thing else ; it's all I want." 

We visited him frequently while he lived, and 
always found him happy in the Lord. The family 
was very destitute. One morning when we called 
he was suffering from the cold, for want of proper 
covering. A benevolent lady gave us the money 
with which to buy a comfortable for his bed. He 
was very grateful, and said the Lord was good to 
him in providing for his wants. He added that he 
wished his mother could have it for he knew she 
was cold, nights. ** I have been so saucy and un- 
kind to her," said he, " that I want to do all I can 
for her while I live." His mother told us that 
before his conversion he was so irritable that it was 
an exceedingly trying task to care for him ; but from 
the time he was converted, he manifested no impa- 
tience whatever. He said to her one day, '' Mother 
this is a different home since I have got religion." 
The last time we saw him he said, '^ O, I am so 
happy all the time. All I want now is one drop of 
the blood. I want to be filled with the Spirit. His 
aunt who lives with them said that this was his cry 
all the time, until Sunday night, when suddenly he 
cried out, '^ O, Aunt Rachel, I have got one drop of 



90 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

the blood ; where is father and mother ? I want to 
tell them I have got one drop of Jesus' blood on 
my heart and I am satisfied." His mother said she 
never saw a happier person than Jerry was from that 
hour. The next morning being Christmas, he wished 
the family a happy Christmas ^ ^^ not a merry one '* 
said he, *'but a happy Christmas^ Soon after he 
called all the family around his bed and bade them 
good-bye, saying he was going Home. Then laying 
his hand on his father's head he said, ^^ Father, you 
are an old man, your head is blossoming for the 
grave," and then proceeded to entreat him to turn 
from his evil ways and serve the Lord. The aged 
father wept like a child. A few moments after, 
Jerry fell asleep ip Jesus. 

Asleep in Jesus ! oh, how sweet 

To be for such a slumber meet ! 
With holy confidence to sing 

That death has lost its venomed sting ! 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 9 1 



CHAPTER IV. 



PAINFUL SCENES IN GARRETS 
AND CELLARS. 



A CLASS-LEADER'S WIDOW. 

Every day's search brings us to some new case of 
wretchedness and want. On Twenty-sixth street we 
found a woman who had been laundress in a ^' Chari- 
table Institution " in this city. Being taken sick, she 
left her place and rented a damp cellar, where she 
and her daughter — a young girl about sixteen — 
managed to exist. At the time we found her, she 
had been sick with consumption three months. Her 
little savings were soon exhausted, and then her 
only support was the earnings of the frail child, who 
worked during the day when she could find work, 
and watched with her sick mother at night. The 
furniture of the room consisted of two old chairs, 
something that answered for a table, a broken stove, 
and two trunks with oval lids, covered with rags, 
which served for a bed. When we manifested great 



92 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

surprise at one so sick being without a bed, she 
replied that it made but little difference, as she was 
seldom able to lie down. She sat in a short-backed 
wooden chair, her head resting on her hand, which 
position she kept the greater part of the time, both 
day and night. 

We inquired into the past history of this woman 
of those who knew her well, and found that she 
was a respectable. Christian woman. Her husband, 
who was a Methodist class-leader, died years before, 
leaving her with two children, one a little girl, the 
other an idiot boy, who was always sick and very 
troublesome. At the time of the riot, she with her 
children were among those who fled to the " Station 
House " to save their lives. There were no beds ; the 
place was densely crowded ; the boy was very sick, 
and her sufferings during her stay in that place 
were indescribable. This boy lived several years 
after, and died of a lingering sickness. She always 
cared for him very tenderly, and no doubt the care 
and watching by night, and working by day to sup- 
port her helpless family, together with the other 
hardships she endured, brought her down to the 
wretched condition in which we found her. Yet she 
made no complaint, and we had to question her 
closely before we could ascertain the facts in the 
case ; nor did she make a request, except that she 
might be removed from this damp place — for the 
house was out of repair, and during every hard rain 
the water came in, covering the floor to the depth 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 93 

of two feet. With ten dollars, placed in our hands 
by a friend of the poor, we furnished her with a 
bed, fuel and food, making her as comfortable as 
possible in that miserable place. We then tried for 
weeks to find a comfortable room for her, but in 
vain ; there were rooms to let, but not for colored 
people ; so we were obliged to leave her there, where 
she died a few weeks after. In the time of their 
most extreme need, the young girl begged of us to 
go to the place where her mother had worked, and 
see if they would not assist them. We did so. They 
spoke of her as being a worthy, industrious woman; 
but said they did not extend aid beyond their own 
Charitable Institution. 

We left the place with a heavy heart, wondering 
if a charitable institution would find a more worthy 
object of benevolence than a pious, industrious 
widow, who had worn herself out and was taken 
sick in their service. During the few remaining 
days that she lived, we visited her frequently, always 
carrying her some nourishing food, for which she 
expressed great thankfulness. She seemed pleased 
to have us talk to her about Jesus, and sing and 
pray with her. She said she was a Christian, and 
all ready to die ; and truly she seemed a sample 
of all meekness and resignation, for not a murmur 
or complaint ever escaped her lips. 

On the night that she died the poor child was 
alone with her, as usual, in that gloomy cellar, dimly 
lighted by a candle. About two o'clock in the 



94 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

morning the mother called, ^^ Sarah, come here, my 
child, and get in bed with me ; it is so cold, I am 
afraid you will take cold." The narrow cot would 
not allow her to obey this last dying request ; but 
she sat down on the side of the bed, and, looking 
her mother in the face, observed that there was a 
strange glare in the eye, a strange sound in the 
voice. She asked, " Mother, are you dying ? You 
look strange. Shall I call somebody V* " No, my 
child, lie down ; I shall be better soon.** Still she 
feared her mother was dying, and asked, " Mother, 
are you going to Heaven ?" She replied, ^^ Yes," 
which was the last word she ever spoke. In a few 
moments she breathed her last. The agonizing cries 
of the poor orphan calling aloud, " Mother, mother," 
were heard by the family living on the floor above, 
who, for the first time during the poor widow's four 
months of sickness and suffering, entered that 
wretched abode. 

But the most affecting part of this sorrowful scene 
was yet to be witnessed. There is nothing the 
respectable poor among this people dread so much 
as a pauper s burial. To avoid this, they will make 
almost any sacrifice, and often apply for aid to bury 
their dead, which they would not do to keep their 
sick from suffering. The child solicited help from 
some of the wealthy ladies, by whom her mother 
had been employed. They spoke of her as a faith- 
ful servant, and believed her to be a Christian, but 
were unwilling to assist in the burial. 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 95 

Crouched over a few coals in that dismal cellar, 
with a few sympathizing friends, sat the lonely- 
watcher, day and night, for nearly a week, not 
daring to leave the body alone because of the rats 
that infested the house. At length her Sabbath- 
school teacher, being informed of the circumstances, 
applied to a few other friends, and they together 
rendered the needful assistance. As we looked at 
her corpse, we felt that her sufferings were at an 
end, and rejoiced that she was beyond the reach of 
pain. 

Poor child of sorrow, she went up through great 
tribulation. People are wont to think it about all 
they can endure to suffer great pain and protracted 
sickness, when blessed with kind friends, a tender 
nurse, a skillful physician, and surrounded with all 
the comforts of life ; but who can imagine the 
wretchedness of those who, in addition to their 
bodily sufferings, are deprived of every earthly 
comfort ? 



GRANDMOTHER BROWN. 

In one of the courts where we frequently visit, lived 
a woman one hundred and three years old. She 
lived alone in a small bed-room. Her furniture con- 
sisted of a very small stove and table, one chair, 
and a narrow cot which served for a bed. She was 



96 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

very destitute, frequently being without food or 
fuel. Indeed we have seen her in cold weather 
wandering through the streets picking up cinders to 
keep her from freezing. We often supplied her with 
the necessaries of life from the small sums given us 
for the poor. She was a catholic, and when ques- 
tioned about religion, was very reserved and seemed 
reluctant about conversing on the subject. We held 
a weekly meeting in one of the rooms of the build- 
ing in which she lived, and soon we had the pleas- 
ure of seeing this aged woman often make one of 
the congregation, and she was an attentive listener 
to all that was said ; and moreover, when laboring 
with the sick in the building, she would follow us 
from room to room, and seemed much interested in 
the singing and praying. 

About two years after we became acquainted with 
her, she was taken very sick, and we were called to 
visit her. We found her in an agony of mind, 
deeply concerned about her soul's eternal welfare. 
We said, ^^Why, grandmother, we thought you were 
a catholic, and felt sure that you were all right. 
How is it that you do not feel ready to die?" She 
replied, " I am a catholic, but / want Jesus ^ oh ! I 
want Jestis.'" She then told us some of her past his- 
tory, and the way in which she was led to become 
a catholic. She was born a slave, and served her 
master until old and unable to work, then she was 
set free. She was a protestant, and in early life 
had been a Christian, but had wandered away from 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 97 

the Saviour. Having neither friends, nor means of 
support, she was induced to join the catholics, who 
promised to provide for her in old age. She had 
now been a member of their church for many years, 
but they had shamefully neglected her, and had it 
not been for the kindness of protestant friends, she 
must have famished. She assured us that she had 
lost all faith in the catholic religion. They had not 
cared for her bodily wants, and now in prospect of 
death, their religion afforded no comfort to her soul. 
A catholic woman who lived in the same building, 
thinking her about to die, called a priest, who ad- 
ministered the extreme unction preparatory to death. 
When the priest had left the house, she was asked 
how she felt, '^ Oh ! ** she replied, " I am not satis- 
fied. / want Jesus ^ nothing but Jesus will do,'' 

We visited her often during her sickness. She 
deeply repented of her error in joining the catholic 
church, and of living so long a time destitute of 
saving grace. Her agony of soul was truly affecting. 
She wept and mourned, lost all desire for food and 
every earthly comfort, and when we would speak of 
bringing her nourishment, which we knew she greatly 
needed, she would reply ^' All I want is Jesus.'' She 
received a measure of peace, but was never so joyous 
and triumphant as some." She died suddenly, with- 
out being able to leave a dying testimony, but we 
have no doubt of her eternal safety, for, when pray- 
ing by her bedside, we often felt a strong assurance 

that Jesus had her case in hand, and would save. 
9 



98 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

It was truly a blessed place to pray. Sometimes it 
seemed we could almost hear the music of the 
heavenly host joying over the return of this aged 
prodigal. 



AN AFFLICTED HOUSEHOLD. 

In Seventh avenue we found a family, consisting 
of a father, mother, daughter, and the daughter's 
three children. One Saturday evening we were 
sent for to visit this family. We found the father 
sick with consumption, the mother confined to her 
bed with rheumatism, the daughter suffering ex- 
tremely with quinsy, the little boy crying with neu- 
ralgia in the face, and the babe sick with the 
whooping-cough. The father and mother were pro- 
fessors of religion, but the daughter was not a 
Christian. We went for the nearest physician and 
found Dr. L. at home and perfectly willing to visit 
the afflicted family. In a few moments he relieved 
the young woman so that she was able to breathe 
easily once more ; he kindly attended these sick 
ones for several days, not only giving his services 
but also furnishing the medicine and liniments needed, 
and under his skillful treatment the whole family 
was soon able to be around. 

The Lord bless and abundantly reward this kind 
physician. He does much of this kind of work 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 99 

among the very poor without any remuneration 
whatever. 



DYING AND DESTITUTE. 

In another little room we found a woman quite 
advanced in life, sick and without friends or home. 
She had managed to support herself until unable to 
work, then found shelter with a family who were 
too poor to provide for her, and she seemed to he 
famishing for the want of proper nourishment. We 
were told that she had eaten nothing for several 
days and had no appetite ; but when we named 
some delicate food suitable for one so sick, she replied, 
^^O yes; I could eat if I had Ma/." When told 
that she should have it as soon as we could send it, 
the tears ran down her face and she praised the 
Lord aloud. "Oh!" said she, "the Lord bless you; 
I know he will, and I shall meet you there in that 
Beautiful Morning. I shall be all glorious in that 
Beautiful Morning. I have just sent for the minister 
to come and give me the Sacrament of the Lord's 
Supper. It is the last time I shall ever take it on 
earth. Now sing and pray with me, for it is the 
last time I shall ever hear your voices." We complied 
with her request. While engaged in the exercise 
she continued to pray and praise in this triumphant 
state of mind. We left her and hastened to fulfill 



lOO BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

our promise in sending some food, but before it 
reached her she sank into a state of insensibility 
and died soon after. 



In a rickety old building on Thirtieth street, in 
an attic chamber, on a pallet of straw on the floor, 
alone and unattended, lay another of these children 
of affliction. An old woman, some seventy-five years 
of age, the most of whose life had been spent in 
slavery under cruel masters, and, when freed in her 
old age, to keep herself and an idiot grandson from 
becoming objects of charity, she had toiled on until 
worn out by hard work and abuse, she lay dying 
in the wretched condition in which we found her. 
We will not attempt to describe what we were 
obliged to witness in that chamber of death. She 
had so long been neglected, that the air of the 
room had become so impure, it made us quite sick 
to stay long enough to discharge our duty. Pre- 
paring her food and attending to her wants devolved 
upon us, as she was entirely helpless, and no one 
seemed to care whether she lived or died. But 
amid all this suffering and neglect, not a murmur or 
complaint escaped her lips. She seemed deeply 
grateful for all we did; thanked us again and again; 
praised the Lord for sending us there to care for 
her; said she was converted while in slavery; had 
served the Lord for many years. He had always 
taken care of her, and He was with her on her 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. lOI 

dying bed. She always wanted us to sing and 
pray with her, and seemed to enjoy it greatly. She 
died soon after we found her, and like Lazarus, we 
trust, was carried to Abraham's bosom. 



During the most bitter cold weather we have 
experienced in New York, while visiting through one 

of the old tenement houses on T street, we found 

a man in an attic room, sick with consumption. He 
was lying on a pallet of straw on the floor, covered 
with a few old garments. The miserable apartment 
was so open, it was unfit for a human being to live 
in. We stopped to sing and pray with him, and, 
though warmly dressed, were thoroughly chilled 
before we left. There was neither fire, food or fuel 
to be found in the house. He was alone ; his wife, 
having found work that day for the first in a long 
time, had left him, for the purpose of earning a 
little money to relieve their sufferings. The day 
before we found this case of destitution, a benevo- 
lent lady placed twenty dollars in our hands for the 
relief of the poor. With this we provided him a 
comfortable bed, and supplied their other needs. He 
was all unprepared to die, but listened attentively 
while we tried to point him to the Saviour. From 
this time he seemed concerned about his soul, and 
just before he died, he told his wife that the Lord 
had forgiven all his sins, and he felt ready to die. 



102 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

ANN T. 

While visiting on Twenty-seventh street, we found 
this poor woman very sick. She lived in a rear 
building in a small room, alone and unattended, 
and so weak she could scarcely speak so as to be 
heard. We inquired how it was with her soul. In 
a faint whisper, with tears in her eyes, she said, 
" I am trying to seek Jesus, but can't find him. I 
am so weak I can neither talk nor pray. O what a 
poor time this is to try to save my soul/* We 
replied, " It is the heart God looks at ; lift that to 
him in silent prayer, and if he sees there is real 
repentance and sorrow for sin, he will hear and for- 
give you, even at the eleventh hour." We knelt at 
her bedside and asked the Lord to bless and save 
her just then ; we soon felt it was her privilege to 
claim him then as her Saviour. We urged her to 
cast herself, with all her load of guilt, on the 
atoning blood. With flowing tears, and in an agony 
of soul, she whispered : " Lord, help me, have mercy 
on my poor soul. O Jesus, Master, save me." She 
did not plead long before the Lord revealed himself 
to her soul ; her voice, which before was entirely gone, 
now returned with amazing strength, and she wept 
and shouted aloud : ^^ He does wash my sins away ; 
how happy I feel. I know I shall meet him in 
peace." The next time we called she was much 
better in body, and happy in the Lord. Sha said : 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 103 

"Jesus not only blesses my soul, but sometimes fills 
my little room with his glory. My chains have all 
fallen off, and I am free. I have the witness in my 
soul that I am a child of God, and I don't get lone- 
some now. I have Jesus with me, and that's company 
enough." She was restored to a measure of health, 
and continued to serve the Lord faithfully. 



CONVERSION OF MR. H. AND HIS WIFE. 

While visiting among the destitute we found this 
interesting couple. They were passing through fiery 
trials. Mr. H., although a sober, industrious man, 
had been without work for a long time; his wife 
was confined to her bed, apparently in her last sick- 
ness, and they were suffering the want of all things, 
having nothing with which to pay rent or buy fuel 
or provision. It was truly a wretched home, and to 
increase their misery, they were both unconverted. 

After relieving, in a measure, their temporal wants, 
we talked to them seriously about their souls. They 
were very tender and teachable, seemed to feel the 
truth, and both acknowledged their need of religion.. 
They had been in more prosperous circumstances, 
but the goodness of God had not led them to repent- 
ance. Now the Lord seemed to be afflicting them 
because of their sins ; " For, whom the Lord loveth 



104 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

he chasteneth." We exhorted them to give their 
hearts to the Lord without delay, and we doubted 
not that he would help them temporally as well as 
spiritually. The poor creatures took the advice given, 
and began crying to the Lord for mercy. A few 
days after, Mrs. H. was powerfully converted. When 
the blessing came to her soul, the great Physician 
touched her body also, and she was immediately 
restored to a measure of health, and was again able 
to do her own woik. The next time we called we 
were surprised at the great change that had taken 
place, not only in Mrs. H. but also in the little room 
which now had such a tidy, comfortable appearance. 
The Lord had wonderfully fulfilled to them his 
promise : ^* Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and 
his righteousness, and all these things shall be added 
unto you." 

Mr. H. had found a little work, which greatly 
encouraged his heart. He told us that he was ear- 
nestly seeking the Lord, and intended to persevere 
until he knew that his sins were forgiven. But he 
had a severe struggle with the powers of darkness 
and unbelief before the victory was given. His con- 
viction of sin was deep and pungent, and caused him 
to cry to the Lord for mercy by day and by night ; 
whether in the house or street, his heart was con- 
stantly drawn out in prayer to God. One morning, 
having a little job of work to do, he started for the 
place, but felt his sins pressing so heavily upon him 
that he could scarcely refrain from crying aloud in 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. I05 

the Street-cars. He said the people looked at him 
with astonishment, but he kept lifting his heart to 
God in prayer. With great difficulty he succeeded 
in doing his work that morning. On his way home 
the Lord gloriously revealed himself to his soul. He 
felt the burden of sin removed, and rejoiced with 
joy unspeakable and full of glory. He walked up 
Fifth Avenue, praising God aloud, making himself a 
wonderful spectacle to the people who throng that 
fashionable highway ; but he cared little for what 
mortals thought about him, since he had found 
Jesus, and had favor with God. 

A greater change we never witnessed than in that 
family. We have visited them many times since 
their conversion, and always find them rejoicing and 
steadfast in the way to Heaven. To God be all the 
glory. 



GEORGE ROGERS. 

One day as we were passing along Varick street, 
searching for the lost sheep who are without a shep- 
herd, we came to some buildings that looked like 
tenement-houses. Passing through an alley, we entered 
a rear building, and beginning at the first floor, we 
called on each family in the house, but found nothing 
of special interest until we reached the attic. There, 



I06 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

in a little dirty room, we found a youth, some eighteen 
years of age, very low with consumption. His mother 
was dead ; his father, himself and a little sister com- 
posed the family. His father was obliged to be away 
at work during the day, leaving him in care of the 
little girl. When asked about his soul, he told us 
he was unsaved, but felt his need of religion, and 
before we left, promised us that he would pray for 
himself. We visited him quite frequently after that, 
and he soon became an earnest seeker of salvation. 
One day, when we were praying with him, the Lord 
spoke peace to his soul ; he said : '^ I feel that my 
sins are forgiven ; but I am not satisfied ; there is 
something more for me." A few days after, while 
two of the missionaries were praying with him, he 
received the full witness of the Spirit, and rejoiced, 
with joy unspeakable and full of glory. 

The next time we entered the little room, he raised 
his hand, and pointing upward, said : " Vm almost 
Home! I can't eat anything; all I want now is for 
some one to sing and pray with me." While we 
were singing, his joy seemed ecstatic ; his face lit 
up with the glory of God, and a beautiful smile came 
over his countenance, as he shouted : ^' Glory, glory. 
O, glory to God." Presently he looked around on 
each of us, and pointing upward, said : *' I want to 
go Home ! O, won't it be nice if the Lord comes 
for me to-night. O, glory, glory be to God." He 
seemed oppressed with a weight of the "excellent 
glory," and said : " O, don't talk to me any more ; 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. lO? 

it makes me so happy, I can't bear it." It was a 
wonderful scene — a heavenly place. 

As we left him, he said, " Ladies, come and see 
me every day while I live ; don't let the storms keep 
you away." He died soon after in great triumph ; and 
we were glad when he was released from earth, for 
he suffered greatly for want of proper care. One 
day during his sickness he begged us to take him 
home and care for him ; this we were unable to do ; 
but we trust he now enjoys an eternal home in that 
land where 

Sickness and sorrow, pain and death, 
Are felt and feared no more. 



FROZEN TO DEATH. 

During the coldest weather of winter we found a 
young man and his wife living in a shattered tene- 
ment house, in the most extreme poverty. Both were 
sick with consumption. The husband was in the last 
stage of the disease, and, being unable to lie down 
by day or night, sat in a short-backed chair with a 
few rags for covering. A small stove, which for want 
of pipe was 4noved back in the fire-place, gave but 
little heat in the room. The basement floor, the 
open house, scanty clothing and furniture, together 
with the sunken cheek and wasted form of the suf- 



I08 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

ferer shivering with cold, presented a scene of wretch- 
edness shocking to witness. The poor man was 
unsaved, yet he wept when told that Jesus died for 
him, and that he was able and willing to save him ; 
but his bodily sufferings were so great that it semed 
difficult to get his attention turned to eternal things. 
Oh ! how we wished for a little money to relieve 
their pressing wants, but we had at that time scarce 
a dollar with which to relieve the hundreds of needy 
ones we visited. We never saw him again — he lived 
only a few days after our first visit. On one of the 
coldest mornings of that winter he was found dead, 
sitting upright in his chair as though asleep ; he 
evidently perished with the cold, and we fear died 
unsaved. 



We frequently find families with sick ones, who in 
the coldest weather are so destitute that we often won- 
der how they manage to keep from freezing to death. 
One bitter cold day we found a young delicate girl 
sick and very low, unable to speak or take much 
notice of anything. She was cared for by a family 
who were in extreme destitution themselves. They 
had given her their only bed, which was a mat of 
straw on the floor covered with a few rags. A benev- 
olent lady in this city, being informed of the case, 
gave us money with which to buy a bed, blankets 
and nourishing food, which saved the poor girl from 
perishing. 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING, IO9 



CHAPTER V. 



BE NOT DECEIVED. 

One afternoon when about leaving the hospital 
of the male department of the " Home/' we noticed 
a man sitting by the stove, apparently very sick. 
We turned and spoke a few words to him. He 
replied, "I am a very sick man and feel that I have 
but a short time to live.'* We inquired if he felt 
ready to die. "O yes," he replied, "I am ready and 
willing to die, and have been for a great many 
years." ^^Well, then, you no doubt feel happy that 
you are so near Home." He made no reply, and 
thgre was a sad, troubled expression on his counte- 
nance which led us to fear that all was not right. We 
began to question him in regard to his present expe- 
rience, and asked, *^Are you sure that you are ready 
to die? Have you a new heart?'' He dropped his 
head and answered in a quick impatient tone, '^ I 
don't know anything about a neiv heart!" "Have you 
ever felt yourself to be a sinner, and do you know 
that God for Christ's sake has forgiven all your 

sins? This is what we mean by a new heart." He 
10 



no BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

replied sharply, ^' / tell you I don't know a7iy thing about 
the new heart you talk about!'' ^* Well, then, you will 
certainly never know anything about heaven, for you 
can't enter heaven without a new heart. The Bible 
says, ' Except a man be born again he cannot enter 
the kingdom of heaven.' " He became quite angry 
and replied, ^' Ah ! that is just what I thought you 
would say to me, just what I thought you would say." 
He had been listening while we talked and prayed 
with others in the ward during the afternoon, and 
undoubtedly was much disturbed in his mind before 
we spoke to him. Presently he said with a self- 
conceited tone and air, " I would like to tell you my 
experience. Will you listen if I will tell you my expe- 
rience V "Certainly," we replied, "we shall be glad 
to hear you narrate your experience. " Then, 
on our taking a seat by his side, he thus began, 
"Many years ago I tried to get religion. I prayed 
and prayed, and after awhile I went to a minister 
and told him that I was seeking religion and asked 
what I must do to be saved. He said to me, just 
like this, ' Do you believe that Jesus Christ died to 
save sinners?' I said, ^Yes.' ^And do you believe 
that he ever liveth to make intercession for them ? ' 
I replied, ^ Yes, I do.' ^Well,' said he, 'that is faith. 
Go on and do your duty and you will come out all 
right in the end.' And I have been trying to do so 
all these years, and now when I am just about to die 
you come and take away all my hopes of heaven. 
Oh^ it is too bad, too bad!'' and he wept like a child. 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. Ill 

We assured him that we felt very sorry for him, but as 
his hope was a false one the sooner it was removed the 
better ; that Jesus had died to save him, and to give 
him a true hope that would be as an anchor to his 
soul, which the apostle says is * Christ in you the hope of 
glory' The Lord knows that you are deceived, but 
he loves you and is not willing that you should perish. 
That is why he has sent us to you with a message of 
mercy and salvation to-day. You are very near death, 
it is true, but Mercy's door is still open and you may 
yet be saved, if you will. That minister put you on the 
wrong road. The questions he asked concerning your 
faith the devils could have answered as well as you, 
for they believe that Jesus Christ died to save sinners. 
Hence it is written, ^The devils also believe and 
tremble,' but their faith does not save them ; and 
that faith did not save you. According to your own 
testimony you have never had a change of heart, 
but have been all these years building your hope 
of heaven on your own good works and self-righteous- 
ness. You are like the man in the parable who was 
found at the feast without the wedding garment. 
That wedding garment is the new heart. * A new 
heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put 
within you.' (Ezek. xxxvi., 26.) It is the new birth, 
* Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a man be born 
again he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.' (John 
iii., 3.) It is holiness without which no man shall see 
the Lord. This is the divine change which you need 
to prepare you for heaven, and without it you will 



112 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

be forever lost." He shook his head impatiently and 
still clung to his own opinion ; said he thought if 
a man did as well as he knew how God would 
certainly take him to heaven. Seeing that he was 
very obstinate and determined to close his ears to 
the truth, and fearing we should never see him 
alive again, we felt it our duty to deal very faith- 
fully with him. 

As we arose to leave him, we said : " If you die 
in your present condition, your soul will sink like 
lead^ into hell ; all the ministers or good men on earth 
or angels in Heaven can't keep you out of hell. 
Your sins will sink you there as naturally as a 
weight falls to the ground. There is no place in all 
Heaven's wide domain for a soul that is not washed 
in the blood of Jesus. But suppose you should go 
there, you would not be happy, but would be glad 
to get away. But if you will repent, and cast your 
soul on Jesus for salvation, he will forgive your sins, 
and take possession of your heart. Then when you 
die you will go to Heaven, and it will not be in the 
power of men or devils to keep you out of that 
happy place ; but you will go there as naturally as 
a balloon goes upward when the ropes are severed. 
Heaven is the native place of a soul that is washed 
in the blood of Jesus.'* While we were speaking, the 
Spirit fell on him in awful awakening power, and 
he cried out with tears: ^^ Oh ! I want a new heart; 
I want a new heart, I must have it. I can't die with- 
out it. Pray for me ; O do pray for me, and don't 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. II3 

leave me until I get it, for I am almost gone. I 
may be dead before to-morrow morning. O," said he, 
" I was never so deceived about anything in my life. 
Oh ! Lord, have mercy on me, and give me a new 
heart.'* It was getting late and we were obliged to 
leave him, but committed him to the Lord in prayer^ 
asking that his life might be spared until he found 
the Saviour. 

He lived several days after this, but continued to 
cry for mercy, until God spoke peace to his troubled 
soul. He died soon after, leaving the testimony that 
he had found the new hearty and died " in sure and 
certain hope of everlasting life.'' 



Another similar case was that of a poor girl, whom 
we found far gone with consumption. She was suffer- 
ing most extremely for the necessaries of life. We 
relieved her wants as far as possible. She was 
unsaved, and what we did for her poor body was in 
view of getting her soul saved. After visiting her 
several times, she told us one day that she had 
experienced religion^ and added: ^* I feel willing to die'' 
We did not dispute her testimony at first, but began 
to inquire closely, but tenderly, into her experience, 
as to when she felt the change, how she felt, and 
what had brought her to conclude that she was 
saved. Her only reply was: "I feel willing to die." 
We saw that the enemy had taken her in a snare 



114 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

that would prove fatal, unless she could be made to 
see her mistake. We told her our fears in regard 
to her case, that Satan had deceived her. She might 
feel willing to die, and yet not be ready to die. It 
was one thing to be reconciled to deaths but quite 
another thing to be reconciled to God. " A person 
may feel willing to die when they know they must ; 
yea, they may even be anxious for death to relieve 
them from pain, poverty and worldly trouble, and at 
the same time be wholly unprepared. Submission to 
death is not submission to God^ although the devil 
often palms it off on the dying sinner and mourning 
friends, as a change of hearty whereas it is only a 
change of mind. You know that the Bible says, * If 
any man be in Christ he is a new creature ; old 
things are passed away; behold, all things are become 
new.' (2. Cor. v. 17.) And, * He that believeth on the 
Son of God hath the witness in himself (i. John 
V. 10); and if you have been converted, you are a 
new creature. You love God and his people, and have 
the witness of the Spirit in your heart that you are 
a child of God. You are soon to pass into eternity. 
Jesus has died to give you eternal life, and you must 
not let the devil cheat you out of Heaven. Give 
your heart to Jesus, just as you are ; trust him 
alone to save you, and continue to trust until the 
work is done and the witness of the Spirit given." 
The Lord in mercy swept away her sandy foundation. 
She saw that she had no Scriptural evidence of con- 
version. She became thoroughly awakened, and 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 1X5 

began in great earnestness to seek the salvation of 
her soul, and the Lord, who hath said, " Ye shall 
seek me and find me when ye search for me with 
all your hearts," soon gloriously saved her, and she 
died shortly after in the triumphs of faith. 

The cases of these individuals are not extraordi- 
nary. We fear there are thousands of professed 
Christians, in the various churches, to-day, who have 
never been converted ; and multitudes are professing 
religion in the modern revivals, who have never yet 
been Scripturally awakened. They have good desires 
and form many good resolutions, and thus mistake 
a change of mind and purpose for a change of heart. 
We often hear sinners say, when under some degree 
of awakening, ^' I am resolved to lead a new life,'' 
supposing such resolutions to be religion ; but when 
asked, ^* Have you a new heart, which alone can 
enable you to lead a new life ?'* in most cases, as 
above, they can give no reason of the hope within 
them, having never been ^^ born again." Hence in 
our public addresses and private teachings, we are 
careful to read and explain such portions of Scripture 
as " Christ's sermon on the Mount," the eighth and 
twelfth of Romans, thirteenth of first Corinthians, 
fifth of Galatians, and third of St. John, all of which 
plainly speak of this divine change of heart, and the 
fruits which accompany it. 



Il6 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING, 



CHAPTER VI. 



THE COLORED POOR OF NEW 
YORK CITY. 



THEIR CONDITION AND NEEDS. 

We have been connected with this mission since 
September, 1867, during which period our numbers 
have varied from four to five, whose whole time 
has been devoted to the work. As our mission field 
has not been circumscribed, but has extended over 
the entire city, we have been able to ascertain many 
important facts in regard to the condition and needs 
of the colored poor of New York, which we feel it 
our duty to present to the public. Some of these 
facts are noticed in an article published in the New 
York Tribune oi February 13th, 1869, from which we 
extract the following, 

"Besides the ordinary causes of poverty and suf- 
fering which they share in common with others, there 
are other causes which affect them exclusively. First, 
the condition of slavery in which they or their parents 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING II7 

were held, and when freed, left penniless. Many of 
those emancipated in this State forty years ago, labor- 
ing under the disadvantage of being without trades, 
business or capital, and compelled to meet the rivalry 
of an overwhelming foreign element in the labor 
market, have been unable to secure steady employ- 
ment by which to raise themselves or families above 
extreme poverty, and when sickness or reverses come 
they suffer for the necessaries of life. Again, they are 
shutout by prejudice from the privilege, in common 
with others, of learning trades, and thus to secure 
remunerative employment. Except very recently, in 
a few individual cases, females have been taken to 
learn, and afterward been employed. This same 
prejudice excludes them from the employ of many 
firms and families, because mixed help will disagree^ 
and the dominant foreign element prevails. This 
fact keeps hundreds wholly dependent on * catch 
jobs ' the year round, by which means they can hardly 
earn enough to keep soul and body together, espe- 
cially when there are several small children too 

young to earn a living And then, when 

work stops and sickness comes they all suffer together. 
Nothing coming in to pay rent, they are ordered out 
by the agent ; so they go in with some acquaintance 
(I have known three families thus crowded in one 
room) or take a bed-room of some poor neighbor, 
some six feet by ten or twelve, for a family of from 
four to seven persons. They will have one meal per 
day, or perhaps two ; pawn the last dress, coat or pair 



Il8 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

of shoes to pay the rent of that little room, lest they 
all be turned out together with no shelter from the 
cold or storm. Again our public charities do not 
meet the wants of this people as they do those of 
others. This is a fact which some will deny, others 
will explain away, and others charge upon the colored 
people themselves ; but as I am not preferring charges 
or courting fruitless controversy, I will waive par- 
ticulars and give general facts. The out-door col- 
ored pQor are expected to share with the whites in 
the provision made for this class, but their share in 
this department is just about like their share in the 
labor market, and the hardships and the cruel, mer- 
ciless rivalry they often experience induce them to 
suffer almost anything before exposing themselves to 
it again, and they are a most uncomplaining people." 
Catholics and foreigners are mostly employed at 
all of the public works in the city. Seldom do we 
see a colored man sweeping streets, carting ashes, 
lighting gas, delivering letters, or engaged in any of 
the simple work which furnishes employment for 
hundreds of poor people. Neither have the colored 
poor equal advantages with others in respect to rent. 
They are excluded by prejudice from most of the 
comfortable tenement houses. The rent extortioner, 
knowing this, takes advantage of their necessities, by 
making them pay about one-quarter more rent for 
the same number of rooms than he demands from 
white tenants. The most of them pay from eight to 
fifteen dollars per month for one small room and 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. II9 

one or two bed-rooms. Besides, many of the old 
buildmgs for which they pay such enormous rents 
are so open and leaky that the rain saturates their 
beds, and in winter the snow drifts through every 
part of the house. Another most fruitful cause of 
their sufferings is the vast amount of sickness among 
them, occasioned, no doubt, by the hardships they 
undergo, and their not being constituted for this cold 
climate. Hence, very many of them are afflicted with 
either consumption, asthma, bronchitis or rheumatism. 
The children seem to have inherited these diseases, 
hence they grow up a puny, sickly people. From close 
observation we are forced to the conclusion that there 
is scarcely a healthy person among them, and as there 
is no pallor of countenance to indicate disease but 
few have any sympathy for them until these appa- 
rently healthy people are suddenly prostrated and 
die ; then, even the most unobserving and unchar- 
itable are obliged to admit the truth. 

Many of them bear up nobly against their physical 
infirmities, and keep at work until taken down to 
their death-beds. 

One woman who had worked hard for years to 
support an aged, helpless mother, and who had never 
been considered sickly, came home on a Saturday 
night, after a hard day's work at house-cleaning, so 
weak, that she could hardly climb the four flights 
of stairs which led to her little room (for which she 
paid the enormous rent of fourteen dollars per month), 
took to her bed immediately, and died the following 



I20 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

Tuesday. A post-mortem examination showed that 
one lung was entirely gone, and the other badly 
diseased. 

Considering all of these disadvantages, is it sur- 
prising that there is so much extreme poverty among 
this people ? One gentleman, who sent us five dol- 
lars for the Providence Mission, asked the following 
question, ^^ How is it that there is so much destitu- 
tion amidst the wealth of your city ?'* We think the 
above fully explains the cause, and knowing these 
facts, we would sooner ask, " How can it be that 
the colored poor manage to exist at all, while sur- 
rounded with such difficulties ?** 



A PRESSING CALL FOR CHARITY. 

For several years we have telt the need of an 
Institution in connection with this Mission, which 
should comprise the following various departments : 

I. Infant Asylum. — We are continually witnessing 
misery among a certain class of infants and little 
colored children which we have no means of reliev- 
ing, and for whom no provision seems to be made. 
Many of these little sufferers are orphans, half- 
orphans, or the children of those mothers who are 
obliged to go out at service either by the week or 
month, leaving their children in care of some aged 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 121 

woman who is incapable of caring for herself ; or 

with some child of tender years, by whom they are 

neglected, half-starved, and often shamefully abused. 

The Colored Orphan Asylum is doing a noble work 

for the children under its care ; but that Institution, 

we are informed, does not take children under two 

years of age. Many of the parents of these little 

ones are industrious, hard-working people, who would 

be glad to place their children in such a Home, and 

pay a reasonable sum for their board. May the 

wails of these ^' poor innocents " touch hearts who 

have the means of providing an asylum for them. 

II. A Home of Industry, is another crying want of 

the colored poor. There are many Industrial Schools 

in this city, where both colored and white children 

can receive some instruction in plain sewing ; but 

such schools do not meet the want in this case. A 

large amount of the suffering, crime, and extreme 

destitution among this people, can be traced to the 

fact that they were not trained for usefulness in their 

childhood and youth. These neglected infants, spoken 

of above, grow up to girlhood, having but little or 

no chance of learning to work ; they are the street 

children, who have ample opportunity for learning 

much that is evil and but little that is good. When 

such girls are old enough to earn a livelihood, they 

are found incompetent. It is impossible for them to 

get a permanent service-place, for people are hired 

to worky not to be taught. And having been repeatedly 

dismissed for want of efficiency, they become dis- 
11 



122 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

couraged, and in their despair and destitution, fail 
an easy prey to the seducer, and are led swiftly on 
to destruction. 

It is shocking to witness the amount of prostitu- 
tion among these young girls. And this great evil 
can only be remedied by taking them into an Asylum, 
where they would not only receive a common school 
education, but be taught to sew by hand and machine, 
and also thoroughly instructed in the various branches 
of house-keeping. 

III. A Free Intelligence Office^ and temporary home 
for respectable females when out of employment, 
ought also to make a part of this Institution. There 
are many of this class who, finding themselves home- 
less and friendless, are driven to houses of ill-fame 
as the only shelter offered them. B}^ having a laundry 
and other simple work to furnish employment for the 
inmates, such a Home, if properly managed, might 
be made partly self-supporting. 

May the Lord lay this burden on the hearts of 
some of his wealthy stewards. There are many such 
in this city, who could give the ground and building, 
and endow it with a sum sufficient to perpetuate its 
existence while time lasts. Surely money could never 
be invested in a more noble cause. The misery that 
would be prevented and the benefits secured to this 
people by such an institution, are inestimable. The 
Lord himself graciously instructs us in our duty to 
the poor, and encourages us with promises of blessing: 
" Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. T23 

thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house ? 
when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him ; 
and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh ? 
Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and 
thine health shall spring forth speedily; and thy 
righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the 
Lord shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, 
and the Lord shalt answer ; thou shalt cry and he 
shall say, Here I am. . . . And if thou draw out 
thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; 
then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy dark- 
ness be as the noon-day. And the Lord shall guide 
thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and 
make fat thy bones ; and thou shalt be like a watered 
garden, and like a spring of water whose waters fail 
not." (Isaiah Iviii.) 

" Blessed is he that considereth the poor ; the Lord 
will deliver him in time of trouble ; the Lord will 
preserve him and keep him alive ; and he shall be 
blessed upon the earth ; and thou wilt not deliver 
him unto the will of his enemies. The Lord will 
strengthen him upon the bed of languishing ; thou 
wilt make all his bed in his sickness." (Psalm xli.) 

" Pure religion and undefiled before God the Father 
is this. To visit the fatherless and widows in their 
affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the 
world." (James i. 27.) 



124 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING, 



CHAPTER VII. 



THE COLORED HOME, NEW 
YORK CITY. 

The Home is exclusively for the benefit of the 
colored people, and is said to be the first and only 
institution of the kind in the country. It is doing 
much for those under its care ; but according to 
the last Annual Report, the means at the disposal of 
the managers and committee are inadequate to the 
demand ; hence, there is very often much suffering 
among the sick for the want of proper nurses and 
nourishment. But this inconvenience is relieved in 
a small degree by the little delicacies carried in 
by the missionaries and other Christian friends. 

On the whole, the Home is doing a great work 
for the colored poor ; but another building of equal 
size and better supplied, would scarcely meet the 
wants of this afflicted people. The following is taken 
from an Annual Report of the Institution, 

^' This building fronts on Sixty-fifth street. From 
either end of it extend, at right angles, the male and 
female wings, capable of accommodating one hundred 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 1 25 

and twenty persons each. These wings (four stories 
high) are connected in the rear by another building 
of two stories, which is divided into small apart- 
ments, containing from five to eighteen beds each. 
The lateral wings consist of four wards each, extend- 
ing the whole length of the building. Each ward 
contains twenty-eight beds. The basement of the 
chapel is occupied by the physicians and matrons. 
The buildings form a hollow square, in the centre of 
which is a flower-garden. The Society began its work 
in 1839, with twelve pensioners ; now eight hundred, 
more or less, are cared for annually in the Institu- 
tion. The average number in the ^ Home ' is two 
hundred and fifteen, fluctuating from one hundred 
and fifty in the summer, to three hundred during the 
winter. The * Home ' consists of four distinct depart- 
ments — hospital, home for the aged and indigent, 
nursery, and lying-in department. The number of 
admissions to the hospital is greater than to the 
other three divisions combined." 

The inmates of the Home are highly favored with 
religious privileges. For years past — until a late date 
— private Christians and missionaries of all denom- 
inations who had a mind to labor for souls were 
permitted to have daily access to the Home. In 
1868 the chaplain writes as follows, 

^* I have never known a religious sentiment so 
deeply and so extensively pervading all classes in the 
Home, and so much peace and comfort enjoyed dur- 
ing the last twenty years, as at the present time ; and 



126 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

further, another evidence that the work is of God is, 
that as the work has increased within, He has con- 
tinued to send helpers, without solicitation, from 
among Christian friends in the city, so that few hours 
pass during any week day without prayer or praise 
being heard in some part of the Home." 

We deeply regret that a change has been made, 
allowing missionaries only Wednesday afternoon to 
visit among the sick. More recently, however, our 
missionaries have been allowed to visit on Monday 
afternoons also. They have preaching every Sabbath 
by the chaplain, and three other meetings during 
the week, 

Mr. Joseph Mackey, of this city, editor of the 
U?iited States Eco7207?itst and Dry Goods Reporter^ has 
greatly endeared himself to the inmates of the Home 
by the interest he has taken in their temporal and 
spiritual welfare. He makes a weekly visit, prays by 
the bedside of the sick and dying, passes from ward 
to ward, leaving a small amount of money in the 
hand of each, which enables them to purchase many 
little comforts, of which they would otherwise be 
deprived. For several years past Bro. Mackey has 
held a meeting every Wednesday afternoon in the 
chapel ; he usually preaches and conducts the services 
himself. The sermon is followed by testimonies or 
a prayer meeting, when an invitation is given for all 
who feel their need of religion to come forward to 
the altar ; the call is seldom in vain — sometimes 
fifteen or twenty present themselves for prayer, and 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. I27 

some of them are gloriously saved ; "many, we doubt 
not, are singing around the throne to-day who found 
the Lord in these meetings. 



CHARLES BEVERLY. 

This young man was an inmate of the Home. He 
was about twenty-two years of age, of light com- 
plexion and remarkably intelligent. He attended 
the means of grace regularly, but seemed very care- 
less about his soul, and was often inclined to laugh 
and ridicule while in the meetings. But eventually 
the searching truth reached his heart and awakened 
him to see his lost condition. He sought the Lord, 
sorrowing, for many days. One Wednesday after- 
noon, when an invitation was given for all who felt 
their need of religion to take the front seat, this 
poor heavy laden sinner went forward and kneeling 
down called on the Lord for mercy. The saints 
joined in prayer for him, and before the meeting 
closed he was gloriously saved and, rising from his 
knees in an ecstacy of holy emotion, began 

To tell to all around 
What a dear Saviour he had found. 

He was soon greatly concerned for the salvation 
of others and became a useful missionary among 
the inmates. 



128 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

At the time of his conversion the wards of the 
male department were filled with desperately wicked 
characters. The Steward said they were the worst 
set of men he had ever known to be at the Home; 
they were so disorderly, he had much trouble to 
control them. He requested us to hold some meet- 
ings among them, and see if they could not be 
reached by the Gospel. We promised to do so ; and 
commenced one in the lower ward, where the worst 
of them were congregated. 

These meetings were continued for several months, 
every Thursday afternoon. There were many among 
them who would never have heard the Gospel, had 
it not been preached in their room. Many were con- 
fined to their beds, which they never left until put 
in their coffins. Others were too careless about their 
souls to attend the public services in the chapel. 
Charlie, the young convert, was very useful in help- 
ing on the work. His prayers and exhortations were 
powerful, while his serious deportment and pious 
example won the confidence of all, and gave him a 
wonderful influence over the worst of them. A 
glorious revival was soon begun, which continued for 
several months. The plan of our meeting was as 
follows : On Thursday afternoon all the men from 
the different wards, who were able to attend, were 
called to the meeting, which was opened in the usual 
way by singing, prayer, and reading the Scriptures ; 
then a short discourse, after which a bench was 
placed in the centre of the room for an anxious seat^ 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 129 

and an invitation given for all, who felt their need 
of religion, to come and kneel there. Sometimes 
the seats would be filled with the poor, maimed, halt 
and blind — all crying, "What shall we do to be 
saved ?" The work of conviction and conversion 
extended to all classes ; weeping penitents and joyful 
converts were found in all the wards, from the boys 
of ten and the youths in their teens to the old men, 
whose heads were white with age. Those of the 
inmates who were cold or who had backslidden were 
reclaimed or revived, and united heartily in the work 
of praying for souls. Family prayer was commenced 
in all the wards ; this greatly helped on the work. 
Often those who were wounded in the other meet- 
ings and left mourning, would be taken by these 
praying ones into the family meeting, where they 
would continue to pray and sing with them until 
they were clearly converted. After the revival had 
been going on for several weeks, the place was 
greatly changed. One of the men in the lower ward 
remarked, "This place used to be almost like hell, 
but now I think it the most like Heaven of any place 
on earth." 

About this time we asked the Steward how he 
got along with the men since the meetings; he replied, 
** There is a great change ; I have no trouble with 
them now." Charlie continued a faithful laborer in 
the work until called to his rest above. He was a 
victim of the fatal consumption, but never wasted 
away like most who die of that disease. The mes- 






130 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

senger came suddenly, but his lamp was burning and 
his work was done. One very wicked man, who had 
resisted all the influence of the meeting, and Char- 
lie's godly example while alive, seemed much affected 
when giving us an account of his triumphant death. 
^O," said he, ^^ Charlie was the happiest man when 
dying that I ever saw ;" this he repeated several 
times, as though he could find no other words that 
would express his opinion so well. He had, no 
doubt, seen many living men who appeared to be 
happy ; but the happiest person he ever saw was a 
dying ma/!. "O," said he, ''if I could go like that, I 
would be glad to die too." 

This work commenced about the middle of Novem- 
ber, 1868, and continued until the following summer. 
It was not confined to the men alone ; there was a 
general outpouring of the Spirit throughout the 
entire Institution. 

The female department at the Home has always 
been a fruitful field for missionary work. We have 
witnessed the conversion of scores of souls in their 
wards. But in such a pls^e a continual change is 
occurring — the converts die, their places are filled 
by others, and it often happens that many of the new 
arrivals are children of the wicked one, who, by 
their unkind behavior disturb the peace of all around 
and shed a baneful influence over the saved and 
unsaved. Such was the state of things in the 
women's hospital at the time the work was going 
on among the men. The few who professed religion 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. I3I 

were disheartened ; the sick and others seeking the 
Lord were discouraged, and seemed to think it 
impossible to get saved in such a place. We did 
not wonder at this for we felt ourselves withstood 
by an infernal influence when praying and laboring 
with souls, and often left the place burdened, feel- 
ing that the powers of darkness prevailed. But 
nothing is impossible with our God. We began 
meetings also in this hard place, which were con- 
ducted in the same way as the others. The orderly 
of this ward. Auntie Scott, although unconverted, 
seemed to feel much concerned for the salvation of 
those under her care, especially the sick who were 
near death. She welcomed the meeting and did all 
in her power to assist in the work. When the time 
came to begin service she had all work stopped 
except the necessary attention to the sick, and all 
who were able to be present seated ; and we must 
add, they gave respectful attention until the exercises 
were closed. The Lord soon began to work ; some of 
the sick were converted, and a Roman Catholic 
named Joanna was struck under conviction. This 
young woman had been brought up a strict catholic 
and believed herself on the road to heaven until she 
came to the Home, where the Lord opened her eyes 
to see her error. We became much interested in her 
case, and often spent much time conversing with 
her about religion. Joanna told us freely all her 
heart ; she had much to contend with, her disposition 
was quick, which often made for herself and others 



132 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

much trouble ; but the greatest difficulty was her 
catholic faith. When we wish to convert a catholic 
we never attack his or her creed, but try if possible 
to show the necessity of the new birth. This was 
the course pursued with Joanna. The Lord, how- 
ever, showed her that she must renounce her church, 
which at length she abandoned. Finally, one day 
when a few of us were praying with some of the 
sick, one of our missionaries seated herself by Joanna's 
side and began again to instruct her in the things 
of the kingdom. Her mind was very dark, but the 
Lord was her teacher, and opened the eyes of her 
understanding to see the truth as it is in Jesus. She 
said, '* It seems to me if you would pray for me I 
should be converted." We did so, and encouraged 
her to pray for herself and expect to be saved then. 
She began to weep and call on the Lord for help ; 
her heart was broken and subdued, and when told 
to believe on Jesus and accept him as her Saviour, 
she began to say, " I do believe Jesus is my Saviour.*' 
The Spirit quickly set his seal to her faith, and 
Christ was powerfully revealed to her soul. She 
arose and walked the floor, shouting the praises of 
her Great Deliverer, with the glory of God beaming 
from her countenance and tears streaming down her 
face. She went around the ward embracing her 
friends and telling them what Jesus had done for 
her soul. An overwhelming cloud of divine glory 
rested on all, which made the saints shout and sin- 
ners weep. 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 133 

The conversion of this woman resulted in the con- 
viction of many others, and thus the work went on 
in power from that time. Several other catholics 
were among the saved, one of whom was a woman 
from the West Indies. She had been in this country 
only a short time, and could understand but little of 
our language ; yet the Spirit awakened her con- 
science, and brought her soul into deep distress. It 
was touching to witness her earnest pleading, as, 
with uplifted hands and streaming eyes, she called 
on the Lord for help. Jesus, and mercy, were the 
only words of her prayer that we could understand ; 
but God knew the language, and spoke peace to her 
heavy-laden soul. Then her joy was as excessive as 
had been her grief, and she praised the Lord with 
all her mental and physical powers. There were many 
other cases of conversion, equally interesting, which 
occurred at that time. 



ANNA COLEMAN. 

This young woman, who seemed nearly gone with 

consumption, was among the penitents. A part of 

our missionary company were kneeling around her 

bed listening to her whispered cries for mercy, when 

deliverance came to Joanna's soul, and all prayer was 

turned to praise, and the household rejoiced that the 
12 



134 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

*^ dead was alive, and the lost found/* Anna con- 
tinued to mourn for many days; she had a fearful 
struggle with the powers of darkness, and was grow- 
ing so very weak, we often feared she would die 
unsaved. But Jesus, who had her case in hand, did 
not suffer the enemy to triumph. One day, finding 
her unusually worn in body and cast down in soul, 
we again gathered around her bed, and carried her 
case to the Lord. While laboring with her, she caught 
a glimpse of Jesus, and began to think he would save 
her, and soon her faith growing stronger, she was 
enabled to lay hold of Christ as her Saviour, and 
joy unspeakable filled her soul. From that hour she 
began to gain strength, and soon looked like another 
person. She lived over a year after her conversion, 
and was a 'burning and shining light at the Home. 

Family prayer was commenced in the ward, which 
was continued while she lived. All who knew her 
were constrained to say, " Anna is a true Christian." 
A short time before her death she received an over- 
flowing baptism of the Holy Spirit, while one of the 
missionaries was conversing and praying with her, 
and soon after she fell asleep in Jesus. 



ELIZABETH JONES. 

Among the many inmates of this institution no one 
is more universally beloved than this aged saint. 
Auntie Jones, as she is commonly called, was born 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. I35 

in slavery in Newbern, N. C. She does not know 
her exact age, but thinks she was born about the 
year 1793. Although she had a humane master, and 
consequently was not subjected to the cruelties that 
many of her fellow-slaves suffered, still she was 
deprived of her liberty — which is so highly prized by 
everybody — and for more than fifty years she was 
bound by slavery^s chain. At an early age she was 
clearly converted to God, and for half a century has 
been a faithful follower of Christ. During the years 
of her bondage she was married twice, and became 
the mother of fifteen children. Her last husband 
was a devoted Christian, a Methodist class - leader 
and local preacher. She often speaks of him and 
the consistent life he led. He was a kind, tender 
hearted, affectionate husband and also a true disciple 
of Christ. He died after she came North ; and she 
often makes this remark, ^' He was such a good hus- 
band I have never wanted another since he died." 

While in the South seven of her children were sold 
away from her, five of whom she has never since heard 
from, and knows nothing of their whereabouts, or 
whether they are still among the living. After her 
master's daughter had married and come North, two 
of Auntie Jones' children, a girl thirteen years of age 
and a boy some years younger, were chosen to live 
with this family. But the little boy so grieved after 
his mother that he was sent back South. Several 
years after this, Auntie Jones' master died, and in 
settling the estate a sale was to be made of all the 



136 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

slaves. This daughter, fearing that her poor mother 
would be sold far away and they should never more 
see each other, induced her young mistress to buy 
her; and for some length of time after the mother 
came North, both she and her daughter worked hard 
until a sufficient sum was earned to purchase her 
freedom. Then for a few years Auntie Jones was at 
service as a cook, but after a time she lost her eye- 
sight. Her previous afflictions had been great, and 
she had often felt that her cup was more than full ; 
but when this stroke fell upon her, it seemed too 
heavy to be borne. She was so weighed down with 
discouragement and longed to die, that she prayed 
by day and by night that the Lord would take her 
Home. At length she thought she had obtained the 
assurance that her prayer was heard, and that her 
stay on earth would be very short. One day she 
surprised her friends with the news that she was to 
die that night. The same afternoon a friend sent 
her a basket of provisions, which she gave to the 
family with whom she lived, saying, " I shall not 
need it. I am going to die to-night." But as she 
was in the enjoyment of her usual health, her friends 
laughed at the idea of her dying, just because she 
wanted to die. She retired, and for some time lay 
waiting for the chariot to come for her. Presently 
she felt a sensation, which she thinks was something 
as a person feels when dying, and she sunk into a 
state of insensibility, and awoke in the Glory-world, 
Her joy was unbounded when she found herself in 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 137 

the land of the blest ; but she was soon informed 
by some of the heavenly host that she must return 
to earth, as the Lord had a work for her to do before 
she could come there to stay. She felt very sad at 
the thought of returning; but she soon awoke, and 
found herself still an inhabitant of this world of 
sorrow. 

Her commission to do a work for the Lord caused 
her much concern, and she would ask, " How can a 
poor blind woman do a work for the Lord ? and 
where can that field of labor be V She made this a 
subject of earnest prayer ; " and finally,*' she says, 
" the Lord told me to go to the Colored Homey She 
immediately told her friends that she must go to the 
Home. They were all opposed to it, but she insisted, 
saying, ^^ The Lord tells me to go to the Colored Home'' 
After entering the Institution, she soon found her 
field of labor. She has been useful in the meetings, 
and is often led from bed to bed, to pray with the 
sick and dying. She has now been an inmate of the 
Home for some twenty-five years, during which time 
she has lived the life of a consistent Christian, and 
been a mother in Israel. She has endeared herself 
to all who know her, and we doubt not she has been 
instrumental in the conversion of very many souls. 



138 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



CONVERSIONS AT THE COL- 
ORED HOME. 



SUSAN DOUGLAS. 

This young woman entered the Home sick and 
unsaved. For a while she was able to attend the 
public service. One Wednesday afternoon she came 
into the meeting and an arrow of truth reached her 
heart. When an opportunity was given for those 
who felt their need of religion to come forward, Susan 
came with others, although she was so weak in body 
that she could scarcely walk from her seat to the 
altar, where she knelt and began to cry to the Lord 
for mercy. She wept and prayed a long time, and 
occasionally she would say, ^^O my God, have mercy 
on my poor soul ! What have I done that thou wilt 
not hear my cry?" It was in vain that we pointed 
her to the Saviour. She seemed all-absorbed in the 
work of repentance, and left the chapel deeply 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING, I39 

mourning on account of her sins. She was rapidly 
failing and soon became unable to leave her bed, or to 
raise herself from her pillow. We labored with her 
often, but usually were obliged to leave her as we 
found her fast bound in unbelief. One day we all 
gathered around her bed, and prayed and sang with 
her. She wept and prayed in an agony of soul. We 
endeavored to show her that the sin to which she 
was holding was unbelief, and finally we succeeded in 
getting her eye off from herself and on Christ, the 
sinner's friend. We said, ^^ Susan, if Jesus died for 
you, then as soon as you repent of your sins and 
forsake them, you have a right to claim him as your 
Saviour." "But,'' she would say, ^^ I don't feel that 
my sins are forgiven." *^ Very true," we replied, 
" and you never will until you believe. If the doctor 
should bring you a medicine possessing a healing 
virtue for your body you would have to take it or it 
would do you no good ; and although you might 
have all faith in the remedy and it might set by 
your bedside within your reach, yet if you did not 
take it you would die. Now Christ is the remedy 
for sin. He gives himself to every penitent sinner. 
He says, ^Let him that is athirst come, and whoso- 
ever will let him take the water of life freely.' It is 
faith that lays hold on Christ. Faith says 'Jesus 
is my Saviour because he died for sinners, and / am 
a penitent sinner.' Now, Susan stop looking at your 
sins, and begin to say, '• Jesus, I trust thee to save 
my soul just now ; thou hast died for me. I will 



I40 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

believe in thee ; I do believe in thee — thou art my 
Saviour.' " All this time she was listening and 
applying the truth. The sadness and look of despair 
quickly fled from her countenance. We noticed the 
change and said, " Susan, you do believe that Jesus 
is your Saviour, do you not.>" She thought a moment, 
then in a calm, positive tone of voice replied, ** I 
don't believe^ but I know it." As she uttered these 
words the power of God fell. on her, the Spirit wit- 
nessed that her sins were all forgiven, and she began 
to shout, " Glory be to God on high ! Glory be to 
God on high ! " Those present were unable to hold 
her. She sprang from her bed and went to the 
farther end of the ward, clapping her hands and 
shouting, *^ Glory be to God on high ! He's forgiven 
all my sins. I am all ready to die, now." In convert- 
ing her soul the Lord in a measure restored her 
bodily strength. The next time we saw her she was 
sitting in a chair doing some light needlework. She 
lived about two months after her conversion and 
continued happy in the Lord. All in the ward spoke 
of Susan as a devoted follower of Christ. 

She suffered extremely the last four weeks of her 
life, and frequently requested Bro. Mackey and the 
missionaries to sing and pray by her bedside, and 
ask the Lord to give her patience to endure to the 
end. During these seasons of prayer she would often 
shout aloud the praises of God. She died in holy 
triumph, and is, doubtless, praising the Lord in eter- 
nity for the sickness which was the means of bringing 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. I41 

her to Christ, and for the protracted sufferings which 
brightened her crown, and increased the *^ eternal 
weight of glory." 



GERTRUDE HOLCOMB. 

One Wednesday we went to the Colored Home 
as usual, but before going into the meeting, we 
visited some of the sick in the wards, in one of 
which we found Gertrude Holcomb near death, in 
great distress of mind and crying, '^ O, Lord, have 
mercy on my poor soul." When she saw us, she said, 
" O, how often you have warned me to get ready 
for this hour. How sorry I am that I put it off. O, 
Lord, forgive me. O, Lord, have mercy on me." 
She entered the Home with two sick children ; one a 
babe of seven months lay in a chair by her bedside, 
very sick ; he died a few days after ; the other, 
Augustus, a bright little fellow, about two years 
old, was recovering, when his mother was taken 
down with her death-sickness. 

Standing by her bedside we asked, ^^ Have you 
given up all to Christ ?" She replied, " O yes, all, 
all, children and all." " Well, then, all you need is 
Jesus." '' O, that's it, that's it. All I need is Jesus. 
O, Jesus, do come and take my sins away. I give 
myself to thee, it is all that I can do." We opened 



142 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING, 

our Bible and read this comforting passage, *^ Behold, 
I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the 
way before me ; and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall 
suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of 
the covenant, whom ye delight in ; behold, he shall 
come, saith the Lord of hosts." We repeated, "The 
Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his templet 
We then prayed for her and she prayed for herself, 
and struggled hard for victory, frequently crying out, 
" O, Lord, keep the devil away. O, Jesus, drive him 
away from me..'* 

We left her in great agony, and passed on into 
the meeting with some friends who were waiting for 
us, but soon returned, as Gertrude's case lay heavy 
on our hearts. On going to her bed we found her 
in deep despair, crying, "There is no mercy for me; 
no mercy for me." We replied, " Gertrude, you are 
mistaken; there must be mercy for you; what is it 
the enemy is tempting you about .^" She said, "I 
wanted to tell you, but did not like to before those 
strangers ; but now I will. A few years ago I pro- 
fessed to get religion, or others encouraged me to 
believe that I had it, although I told them I had no 
knowledge of it in my own soul ; but I went on 
professing it, and partook of the Lord's Supper. 
Now it seems to me that I committed the unpar- 
donable sin." Probably this Scripture was on her 
mind, " For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, 
eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not dis- 
cerning the Lord's body." (i Cor. xi. 29.) We told 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 143 

her it was to be regretted that many were being 
thus deceived and misled in this day ; but the Lord 
would not condemn her for partaking of the Sacra- 
ment of the Lord's Supper, as she did not sin inten- 
tionally. " You did not mean to be a hypocrite, did 
you?" we asked. *' O, no, no," she replied; "I 
thought I had religion, but I was deceived. I never 
was converted." We assured her that the Lord did 
not cast her off for being deceived, but was ready and 
waiting to pardon all her sins. Light shone on her 
mind ; the snare was broken, and with a look of sur- 
prise she said, *^ Don't he condemn me ? Why no, he 
don't condemn me for doing what I did not know 
was wrong. I would not do it again ; no, no, I would 
not do it again. O, Lord, forgive me. O, do, Jesus." 
We said, '* You remember the passage we read to 
you ?*' She replied, ^^ O, please find it again ; my 
mind was so troubled I could not listen." We read 
again, " Behold, I will send my messenger, and he 
shall prepare the way before me ;" adding, ^^ You 
see, Gertrude, the Lord has prepared the way for his 
coming to your soul, by giving you light on the 
matter that troubled you." We read on, "And the 
Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his 
temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom 
ye delight in (/. e. Jesus) ; behold, he shall come, 
^ilh the Lord of hosts." She laid her hand upon 
her breast and said, " He is coming ; the enemy is 
going — yes, he is going ; he has gone. Jesus says, 
^ Your sins are forgiven you, go in peace and sin no 



144 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

more.'" She folded her arms across her breast, 
exclaiming, " O, how precious ; O how precious. 
Jesus, is mine. He does forgive all my sins." She 
raised herself up in bed and shouted, " Glory, glory. 
He is mine. He is in my heart. He says, ^Go in 
peace and sin no more.' O, how happy I feel. 
O, that I could tell you, but I can't. I'm going 
to Glory, yes, Fm going to Glory to see Julia 
[one of the young converts who had died very 
triumphantly a few days before]. O, how happy 
she died, right over there in that bed ; she said, 
^ tell Mr. Mackey and the missionaries how happy 
I died.' And I want you to tell Mr. Mackey that 
I am blest too. O, the Lord bless him and all 
the missionaries and the doctors too ; they have 
been very kind to me. The Lord bless Mrs. Hagar 
(the matron) and Mrs. Cooper (the orderly); they 
have all been very kind to me. O, I'm so happy." 
Extending her hand to the orderly, she said, *^ O, 
Mrs. Cooper, give your heart to Jesus ; get ready to 
die and meet me in Heaven." Mrs. Cooper wept, as 
did also many of the unconverted. She continued 
to shout, ** Glory to God, I'm so happy. O, look, 
my child is blest too. See how happy he is." One 
of the young women who was converted a few days 
before, was holding the child near his mothers bed, 
and the little fellow was la;ughing and looked very 
happy indeed. 

Gertrude lived only a short time after her conver- 
sion. She died in faith, the triumphant joy of her 



BRANDS FROM .THE BURNING. 145 

soul suffering no diminution to the very last. Little 
Gussey was left alone in a cold, pitiless world, with- 
out one earthly relative to love or care for him. But 
he was a lovely child and soon made many friends 
among the inmates. He was allowed to remain sev- 
eral months in the ward where his mother died, and 
he became deeply attached to those who cared for 
him. But as there is no department for children 
at the Home, he, with several other little mother- 
less ones had to be removed to the Orphan Asylum. 
It was a touching scene when the children were 
placed in the charity wagon and taken from the ten- 
der care of their friends at the Home. They all 
cried and begged to stay. Gussey reached out his 
little arms to Mrs. Cooper, crying, " O Aunty Tooper, 
do take me out of this wagon, I don't want to go 
away." We doubt not that he was well cared for by 
his new friends, but it was not long that he had need 
of an earthly home. In a few short months the 
little spirit of Gussey Holcomb was carried to his 
home on high to join his mother in singing the song 
of the redeemed. 



13 



146 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING, 

PETER J. 

On one of our visits at the Home we found Peter, 
who had but recently entered, very near eternity and 
without Christ. When asked how it was with his 
soul he replied, '' I am seeking Jesus but can't find 
him.'* We opened our Bible and read to him the 
account of the conversion of Zaccheus. While read- 
ing we endeavored to show that Jesus was just as 
willing to save him even now, as he was to save 
Zaccheus, if he would but welcome him to his heart. 
We carried his case to the Lord in prayer, and he 
tried to pray for himself, but prayer was soon turned 
to praise. He exclaimed, while tears of joy rolled 
down his cheeks, "Jesus has come and blessed me, 
he takes all my sins away." Then joyfully clapping 
his hands he shouted, ** Oh, glory to God ! in that 
great morning I will be there on the right hand, and 
father will be there, but the best of all, Jesus will be 
there. Oh, won't that be a joyful time ! Glory to 
God, he has come here this afternoon and blessed 
my soul." Sinners in the ward wept. We left Peter 
shouting the high praises of God. He only lived 
until the next day and then died very happy. Thus, 
in this Home, we see one after another pulled out of 
the fire, by being saved just before death had put 
them beyond the reach of God's mercy. 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. I47 

EMMA B. 

This young woman was brought to the Home, 
very low with consumption. While laboring in the 
hospital, we often stopped at her bedside and talked 
to her seriously about her soul. She was soon fully 
awakened, and began to seek the Lord very earn- 
estly. One day, as we were singing and praying 
with her, the Lord powerfully converted her soul. 
She was " filled with all joy and peace in believing," 
and clapping her hands in triumph, she shouted aloud 
the praises of God. 

After her conversion she gave us some account of 
her past life. She had been a very wicked girl, had 
left her father's house in Delaware about two years 
before, and had come to New York, where she had 
led a life of dissipation, her parents not knowing of 
her whereabouts. This sad error of her life was as 
thorns in her dying pillow. She begged us to write 
for her to her parents in Delaware, and ask their 
forgiveness ; tell them what the Lord had done for 
her soul ; and ask, if possible, for one of them to 
come and take her home, that she might die there. 
Her father wrote her a very affectionate letter ; 
rejoiced that she had found the Saviour ; said that 
her mother had lately given her heart to the Lord, 
and he himself was seeking religion. But he was 
sorry to say that he could not come after her, as he 
had not the money with which to defray his expenses. 



148 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

Emma soon became so weak that she could not be 
removed, which increased her anxiety to see her 
parents before she died — one of them at least — if 
they could possibly get to her. We wrote that if 
one of them could come, we would pay the expenses, 
which would be about ten dollars. The mother gladly 
accepted the offer and came. It was a joyful meet- 
ing, and very gratifying to the mother to have the 
care of her dying child during the few remaining 
days of her life. She lingered about two weeks after 
her mother's arrival. Mrs. B. was a most devoted 
Christian, a pattern of genuine piety. Emma con- 
tinued happy in the Lord until the last, and died a 
most triumphant death. Mr. Mackey buried her in 
" The Saint's Rest,'' in Greenwood Cemetery. 



■V 



ROBERT HILTON. 

In the Wednesday afternoon meeting when an invi- 
tation was given for penitents to come to the altar, 
Robert Hilton, a young man about nineteen years 
of age, came and knelt down with others, and began 
to call on the Lord for mercy. He was in the last 
stage of consumption ; had come to the Home to 
die ; but alas ! was all unprepared for the solemn 
event. An arrow of truth reached his heart in that 
meeting, and brought him to his knees. The pray- 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. I49 

ing ones gathered around him, and carried his case 
to the throne of grace ; and while looking to the 
Lord in prayer, the burden rolled off, the witness 
came, and he walked the floor shouting, *' Glory to 
God." He continued very triumphant until his death. 
The next Wednesday we found him in his coffin in 
front of the altar, and the congregation seated in 
the chapel, waiting for the funeral service. He was 
saved just in time. The men in his ward gave us 
the particulars of his death ; he attended meeting on 
Sabbath, spoke in a clear voice, and said, " I shall 
not see you again ; this is the last time I shall be 
here, but you will see me in Glory — FU soon be 
there.*' Monday, the day of his death, he wanted 
the men to gather around his bed; and pray and 
sing with him once more before he crossed the river; 
he said, " I am not afraid to die, for Jesus is with 
me, and I am going to him soon." During the 
evening he passed away so quietly they all thought 
him asleep ; and so he was, but 

Asleep in Jesus, blessed sleep, 
From which none ever wake to weep. 



ISO BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

WILLIAM ANDERSON. 

This man was about fifty years of age. He was 
brought to the Home very sick with erysipelas, his 
head and face greatly swollen, and he was considered 
too low to have anything said to him on the subject 
of religion. On our next visit the swelling had left 
his head and face, and he seemed to be somewhat 
better. He was unconverted, but so deaf that some 
in the ward told us that it would be useless to talk 
with him, as he could hear nothing. However, we 
thought we would try. One of the men in the ward 
after shouting in his ear several times, finally suc- 
ceeded in making him understand that the mission- 
aries wished to know if he wanted religion. He said 
he did. We came near his bed, sang a hymn, and 
then carried his case to the Lord in prayer with 
much liberty. He wept much while we were sing- 
ing and praying, and seemed to understand all we 
said. He joined us in singing "Jesus saves me just 
now.'' We noticed a 'change in his countenance 
and asked him if he felt that Jesus had come to 
his soul. He replied, " O yes, my burden snapped 
off while you were praying, and now I feel as light 
as a feather from my head to my feet.'* His wife, 
who is a Christian, came to see him the next day. 
He told her that the Lord had converted his soul, 
he was all ready to die, and that they should meet 
in heaven. He died that same night. 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 151 

A few days after his death we met his wife at 
the Home, and with tears she gave us some particulars 
of her husband's past life. She said he had been a 
very bad man. He was a drunkard for many years, 
and she had seen great trouble with him. But 
she continued to pray for him, and when he was 
taken sick and carried to the Home she said, ^* Lord, 
if thou wilt only have mercy on William and save his 
soul, I will bear any burden thou wilt lay upon me 
the remainder of my life." '^ Now," said she, "I 
am satisfied. I can give him up, he is saved ; the 
Lord has answered my many prayers. I shall try 
and be faithful and meet him in heaven." 



KATIE. 

This young woman was an inmate of the Home 
for many months. Soon after entering the Institu- 
tion she was awakened to see her lost condition as 
a sinner, and began earnestly to seek the salvation 
of her soul. After mourning for several weeks and 
not finding peace, she became almost discouraged. 
One afternoon we found her confined to her bed, 
and much cast down in soul. We took a seat by 
her side, and began to question her closely in regard 
to her consecration. She answered us that she had 
given up all for Christ. When we knelt in prayer 



152 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

she was in a great struggle of soul, weeping bitterly 
and crying, " Lord, save me. O, save my poor soul." 
We asked, " Do you believe that Jesus is able and 
willing to save you ?'* " Yes,'* she replied, at the 
same time crying, " Oh ! Lord, save my soul," while 
she tossed her head from one side of the pillow to 
the other, in the greatest mental agony. We said, 
** Katie, do you not repent of your sins; and have 
you not forsaken them all ; and do you not now 
give yourself to God T' She quickly replied, ** Yes.'* 
" Well, does he not receive you ?" *^ No," said she ; 
** I do not feel that I am saved." We tried to show 
her that all God required of her was to forsake all 
her sins, heartily repent of them, and believe in Jesus 
with all her heart, for salvation, and it was her privi- 
lege to claim the blessing that moment ; and as she 
claimed salvation through Christ, the assurance would 
be given that the work was wrought in her soul, 
which was the witness of the Spirit, that she so 
much desired. We spent about two hours endeavor- 
ing to get her to believe in Christ. Finally she 
began to say, " I do believe that Jesus saves me 
just now'' This she said several times, with but 
little feeling, rather like a child repeating a lesson ; 
but soon she said it with more earnestness, as she 
began to feel it was the truth; and in a moment 
more, the Lord in mighty power set his seal to 
her faith ; the glory of God quickly filled her soul, 
and the Spirit witnessed that her sins were all 
forgiven. She sprang from her bed and walked back 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 153 

and forth in the ward, clapping her hands and shout- 
ing, '' Jesus saves me. Jesus saves me, O, glory. 
Now I can praise him and feel it in my soul. O, 
how light it is in the room." Then looking at her 
hands, she exclaimed, " Oh ! look at me. I am all 
new.'* We asked, " Are you afraid to die now, 
Katie V *^ O, no," she replied, " I am not afraid 
nou'^ for I am all ready,'' 



ROBERT GREEN. 

This young man was born and brought up a slave 
in Charleston, South Carolina. His master was a 
Methodist minister, who owned a large number of 
slaves, and was consequently very rich; but the act 
of emancipation suddenly reduced him to poverty. 
This reverse of fortune so overcame him, that he 
was taken immediately sick, and died soon after. 
Robert had by this time become a first-class cook, 
and when freed, he went as cook on board a steam- 
ship running from Charleston to New York. This 
position he held for two years, after which he came 
to New York to live, and found no difficulty in 
getting and keeping a situation as cook in saloons 
or hotels. While engaged in this business, he was 
taken sick with a rheumatic disease, which confined 
him to his bed for six months. After having spent 



154 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

all of his savings for doctors and nurses, he was 
carried to the Home, a helpless cripple ; he could 
use neither hands nor feet. 

One afternoon as we were visiting through the 
wards, finding him so very sick we stopped by his 
bed and began to talk with him about his soul, 
warning him to get ready for death. Until this time 
he had been careless and unconcerned about eternal 
things ; but to find strangers so interested in his 
soul's welfare, and the solemnity and earnestness 
with which the exhortation was delivered, so deeply 
impressed him, that he could not obliterate the effect 
from his mind. He slept none that night, for the 
solemn words kept ringing in his ears, " Get ready 
for death j get ready for deaths At one time during 
the night he felt quite sure that he saw the same 
missionary standing by his bedside, repeating the 
same words, ** You better get ready for deaths He 
heard her voice and knew it to be the same that 
warned him in the afternoon. 

The following day he would take no food, but 
said that he must fast and pray until the Lord 
had forgiven his sins. He was in great distress of 
soul, praying day and night for mercy. The next 
Wednesday he asked if he might be taken into the 
chapel to the meeting. The doctor said he was not 
able to go ; but he begged so hard that he finally 
consented, and two of the men helped him into the 
chapel. After the sermon, an invitation was given 
for sinners to come to the altar for prayer. Robert 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 1^$ 

said he wanted to go and the men helped him to 
the altar where he began to cry for mercy. The 
praying ones gathered around him and carried his 
case to the Lord in mighty prayer. He had a hard 
struggle but came off victorious. The blessing came 
in overwhelming power ; he began to shout the 
praises of God, and asked to be helped on his feet. 
They told him he could not stand and had better 
remain sitting. But he begged them to help him 
on his feet, so they raised him from the chair and 
held him while he continued to shout, " Glory to 
God ! Glory to God ! '' Soon he told them to let 
him go, and breaking away he walked off a few 
steps and stood shouting " Glory to God ! '' for a 
few moments. Then he began to walk to and 
fro in front of the altar, still shouting " Glory to 
God ! He has converted my soul and healed my 
body. I am a well man. Glory to God ! He has 
converted my soul and healed my body ! ** The 
next day one of the doctors came into the ward and 
left him some medicine. He said, " Doctor, I don't 
want any more medicine. The Lord has converted 
my soul and healed my body." '' I heard," said the 
doctor, "that you walked from the chapel into the 
ward yesterday. Are you well to-day ? Let me see 
you walk." Robert rose to his feet and walked 
across the ward and back. "That will do," said the 
doctor, " I guess you will be able to leave the Home 
soon." And he did leave soon after and engaged in 
his former business. It is about four years since his 



156 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

conversion. He has enjoyed perfect health ever 
since, is a member in good standing in one of the 
city churches, and continues faithfully following the 
Lord. 

Although such conversions are rare they are not 
new. Church history records numerous instances of 
the kind, since the days of Christ. We extract the 
following from the " Methodist Magazine " for July, 
1827, being an account of a conversion that occurred 
in a revival of religion at Lanjeth, in Cornwall, Eng- 
land. The account is given by Rev. W. Lawry, 
preacher on the St. Austell circuit. 

" The first extraordinary conversion which I re- 
marked, was that of old Wm. Morkum, of Lanjeth, 
who lived just seventy years ' without God in the 
world.' In the month of February, 1826, as he was at 
work as usual on the high roads, and reflecting on 
his long life spent in the neglect of religion, his mind 
became greatly alarmed at the prospect of eternity. 
Night came on ; he sought to be refreshed on his 
bed by sleep, but in vain. His alarm and terror 
increased so much that his family, consisting of his 
wife and daughter, were kept up all night. On the 
next day he proceeded to his labor, but remarked 
to his companion, with great apparent emotion, *I 
believe I am a lost soul.' The next night came 
on, when, such was the horror of his mind, that his 
family, at his request, sent for some of their pious 
neighbors to come and pray with him. They spent 
the whole night in prayer ; but he remained without 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 157 

hope, under the most fearful apprehensions. The 
third day was spent as the former, but the third 
night was still more terrible to him than the second. 
The religious friends were again called in ; and great 
was the agony of his mind. Hitherto he could not 
be persuaded that his prayers would avail, but at 
this crisis his friends prevailed upon him to join 
them in prayer to God in the name of our Lord 
Jesus Christ. He now poured forth amain the cry 
of the publican, * God be merciful to me, a sinner.' 
During the third night his fears subsided, and he 
had power to cast his soul on the atonement of the 
Lord Jesus Christ, through whom he obtained peace 
with God. For many years he had through infirmity 
been bowed almost double, and had not been able to 
lift his hand to his head. His employment had been 
to break stones on the roads. The moment, however, 
of his deliverance from his load of guilt and fear, 
he exclaimed in ecstacy, *I am made whole both in 
body and soul ! * He accordingly stood perfectly 
erect, and clasped his hands together behind his 
head. * Now,' said he, * I will request the parish to 
buy me a pair of spectacles that I may learn to read 
the Bible ; and I will myself procure a lantern to 
light me on the winter evenings to the Methodist 
chapel.* He joined himself to the society at Lanjeth, 
and met twice in class. About a month after his 
conversion he became unwell, and said to his family, 
' The time is come that I must die,* He lay down 
for a few days upon his peaceful bed, without pain 



158 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

or mental conflict, expressing his trust in the ador- 
able Redeemer, and peacefully fell asleep in the 
Lord/' 



SUSAN, EMMA AND JERRY. 

One afternoon we passed through the hospital of 
the women's department, stopping at the bedside 
of each sick one and inquiring into the state of 
their souls. We found many unsaved who felt their 
need of religion, and as there were many sick ones 
in other parts of the Institution who had a claim on 
our time, we could not pray by each bedside ; so we 
concluded to hold a short meeting, and taking our 
stand in about the centre of the ward, we read aloud 
a portion of Scripture and sung an appropriate hymn, 
reading the first lines of each stanza, so that air of 
the inmates might join in the singing We then 
gave a short exhortation, encouraging those who were 
seeking the Lord to cast their helpless, sinful souls 
on Christ just then. During the first prayer, a woman 
named Susan, who had been in the Home only a few 
days, began to weep and call on the Lord for mercy. 
When we saw that she was praying, we gathered 
around her bed, and carried her case more especially 
to the Lord. Her prayer was soon turned to praise. 
The change was sudden and glorious. She was 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 159 

naturally very quiet, seldom spoke unless questioned; 
but when Jesus spoke the life-giving word, her tongue 
was loosened to speak the high praises of God, and 
though very weak in body, trembling like a leaf, she 
slowly raised up in bed and began looking at her 
hands ; then placed them on her breast, and said, 
" The load is all gone ;" then she would look at her 
hands and exclaim, " Why, my hands are new — Fm 
all new ;'* then glancing out of the window, she 
said, " The world is new too ;'* proving that Scrip- 
ture true, *^ If any man be in Christ, he is a new 
creature; old things are passed away; behold, all 
things are become new." Words were inadequate to 
describe the change she felt. " Oh !" said she, ^* how 
the devil has had me bound ; it has seemed to me 
that I musf be lost. O, how I have feared to die, 
for I knew that I should go immediately to hell. 

When I was taken sick L lived on T street ; it 

is a bad place ; the people there are very wicked, 
they drink, quarrel and swear. It seemed to me 
that I was going to die, and began to pray the Lord 
to have mercy on me ; but it did seem that I could 
not get religion among those wicked people ; so I 
prayed and prayed for the Lord to let me come to 
the Home that I might get religion, and. Glory to 
his Name ! he has done it ; my load of sin is all 
gone. Fm so thankful, so thankful ; Fm ready to 
die now. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is 
within me bless his holy name." 

While Susan was rejoicing, we noticed that a young 



l6o BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

girl, named Emma, lying in the next bed, was ear- 
nestly praying for herself. She was crying. "Jesus, 
save me, save ^me, IVe given up all. I don't hold 
on to anything." We went to her bedside, prayed 
and sung with her, still she continued pleading for 
"mercy. We encouraged her to venture on the Lord 
just then, and as she repeated these words, ^'^ Jesus is 
my Saviour^'' she seemed to receive an increase of 
faith, and in a few moments she exclaimed, " He's 
come, he's come," while the joy of the Lord beamed 
from her countenance. ** Oh !" she said, -* let me 
out of this bed. I can't lie here. I feel so good I 
don't want to stay here. I want to die and go to 
Glory. I'm all ready now." 

For a long time she continued praising the Lord, 
and her face was radiant with the glory of God. 
Hearing the sound of rejoicing and praise of the 
new-born soul, several came in, and among others, 
the orderly of the Shatzel ward. When Emma saw 
her, she exclaimed, " Oh ! Aunty Williams, come here, 
come and rejoice with me. I've found Jesus." Mr. 
Horton, the chaplain, also came in while they were 
praising the Lord, and rejoiced with the young con- 
verts. It was getting late, and we had not time to 
go through the male department ; but two of us 
went up into the second ward to distribute some 
oranges among the sick, and to see if there were 
any who seemed near death. We found two very 
low ; one had just been brought in, the other was 
a young man, named Jerry, with whom we had 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. l6l 

labored a great deal. We were astonished to see 
the change that a single week had wrought in him, 
and were confident that he would not be among 
the living when we came again. When asked if he 
had yet found Jesus, he replied, ^* No, but I am 
seeking ;*' and then laying his hand on his breast, 
he added, " Oh ! Vm so pressed for breath." He did 
not know that he was so near death. He seemed to 
think that he was too weak to make an effort to get 
saved. We said, " Jerry, you will not be here next 
week ; get to the Lord quick. We fear this is the 
last opportunity we shall have to pray with you." 
He took the alarm and immediately began to cry 
for mercy. While we were singing, he prayed ear- 
nestly for himself, in feeble, whispered accents, '^Lord, 
have mercy ; Lord, have mercy. O, save my poor 
soul." As the first prayer was ended, he said, "Come 
nearer my bed, and keep on praying, O, keep on 
praying." We gathered around his bed, and all 
prayed. We felt much of the Spirit*s help while 
carrying his case to the Lord— felt confident that 
the Lord would save him — and while singing, " Jesus 
saves me just now," we realized more and more of 
the divine presence. Presently a heavenly light came 
over his face ; he smiled, and pointing upward, 
beckoned as if to some person, exclaiming, "O, 
pretty, pretty ; ain't it beautiful, ain*t it beautiful !" 
His eyes were intently fixed on something not of 
earth, and he seemed lost to all around, while he 
continued to point upward, exclaiming, " Beautiful, 



l62 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

beautiful ! O, ain't it beautiful !" The place seemed 
awful and glorious. Before leaving him, we sung, 

I have been redeemed, yes redeemed, 

O, he has washed me in the blood of the Lamb. 

He exclaimed, "Yes, I am redeemed, I am saved, 
I am washed in the blood of the Lamb/' We left 
him praising the Lord. He lived only two days 
after. Truly, he was saved just in time. 

Emma and Susan lived but a few days after their 
conversion, and continued happy in the Lord until 
the last. Emma was summoned suddenly and unex- 
pectedly. On the morning of her death she seemed 
usually well, called to one in the ward, and before 
she could reach her bed, Emma had a hemorrhage. 
She whispered, " I am dying and going to Glory ; 
I want all in this ward to come. Open the gates 
wide, and let me fly through "—clapped her hands 
and was gone. 



DIGGING UP THE BURIED TALENT. 

One afternoon before commencing our meeting in 
the ward we conversed with several of the men per- 
sonally. One man said, " There is no mercy for me, 
I never prayed in my life ; never felt like praying ; 
never felt any desire for religion, and I have never 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 1 63 

had any convictions about religion. So there is no 
use of my trying to seek the Lord." '^And where 
do you expect to go when you die ? " we asked. 
He replied, ^^ I expect to go to hell!'* All this was said 
in a light, careless manner and tone of voice, which 
was shocking to hear. 

The time had come to begin the meeting and we 
took for the subject that afternoon the twenty-fifth 
chapter of Matthew. When we came to the account 
of the man who had buried his talent, after making 
some comments on the '' wicked and slothful serv- 
ant," we paused, and pointing over to James said, 
'* There is the man who has buried his talent. That young 
man once had the talent of light and conviction, for 
the Spirit lighteneth every man that cometh into the 
world. But he refused to walk in the light, and has 
buried his talent, until now his mind has become so 
dark that he does not remember of ever having had 
any feeling on the subject. And he is making God 
responsible for all his sins. He is saying, ^ Lord, 
thou art a hard master ; thou dost require me to 
repent, but I can't until thou dost convict me ; thou 
dost require me to serve thee, but thou dost not 
give me grace to do so. Ah ! Lord, thou art a 
hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and 
gathering where thou hast not strewed.' '* All 
eyes in the ward were fastened on him. James 
dropped his head and appeared ashamed ; it was 
an arrow that pierced that hardened heart. He 
was immediately brought under deep awakening. 



164 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

and set about seeking the salvation of his soul. 
He did not wait any longer for the Lord to send 
an earthquake to convict him of his need of Christ. 
The next Wednesday afternoon when an invitation 
was given for sinners to come to the altar for 
prayer, James was the first to respond to the call. 
He was all broken down before the Lord, weeping 
and crying for mercy, and he never ceased to ago- 
nize at the throne of grace until he was powerfully 
and gloriously converted. There are many others, 
who, like James, are waiting for the Lord to convict 
them in some extraordinary way before they will 
break off from their sins and seek pardon. They do 
not consider that knowledge is conviction. If a 
blind man were walking directly toward a precipice 
where he would soon step off to his own destruction, 
would not the knowledge of his danger be sufficient 
caution to make him change his course? If a man 
in a boat should find himself in the rapids of Niagara 
how much conviction would he need beside the 
knowledge of his perilous condition, to induce him 
to row for the shore ? Or, if a criminal in prison 
under sentence of death, with the day of execution 
fixed, should be informed that the Governor offered 
him a pardon, would he not quickly and thank- 
fully accept ? Would he not be thought insane 
should he coolly reply, " I am not convicted of my 
need of pardon. When I feel the rope about my 
neck and my feet press the fatal drop, I may accept 
the Governor's offer of mercy." 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 165 

And do not sinners act even more irrationally ? 
They are condemned by the law of God, are under sen- 
tence of eternal deaths and have only to stop breathing 
to have that sentence speedily executed. But they are 
calmly waiting for some extraordinary conviction 
before they will accept of offered mercy. How strange 
that men will act reasonably in regard to the things 
that pertain to this life but most absurdly in respect 
to the things of eternity. 



MARTHA AND ALICE. 

These two young women entered the Home about 
the same time. Both were unsaved. Martha was 
soon awakened to a sense of her lost condition while 
out of Christ, and among other penitents presented 
herself at the altar for prayer in the meetings/ She 
was quiet and reserved, and made but little ado ; 
but her streaming tears, earnest prayers, and perse- 
vering efforts for the salvation of her soul told how 
deeply in earnest she was to find the pearl of great 
price. For several weeks, in every Wednesday after- 
noon meeting, when an invitation was given for 
mourners to come to the altar, Martha was invariably 
among the first to respond to the call ; though weak 
in faith she seemed to say by her continual coming. 



l66 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

Perhaps he will admit my plea, 

Perhaps will hear my prayer ; 
But, if I perish, I will pray, 

And perish only there. 

I can but perish if I go — 

I am resolved to try ; 
For if I stay away, I know 

I must forever die. 

We became deeply interested in this timid, doubting 
soul, and endeavored, as best we could, to lead her 
to Christ. She seemed to have a deep sense of her 
own sinfulness and unworthiness, with but little idea 
of God's mercy and willingness to save through 
Christ. 

Alice, a wicked young woman who had recently 
come from the South, had until this time resisted 
all the preaching, praying, and religious influences at 
the Home. But one Wednesday afternoon she came 
into the meeting and an arrow of truth reached her 
heart. She was powerfully awakened, and when an 
opportunity was given for souls to come forward 
for prayer, she quickly went and knelt at the altar. 
Like blmd Bartimeus, she ceased not to cry until 
Jesus spoke her sins forgiven, and bid her ** go in 
peace and sin no more.'* Then she seemed almost 
beside herself with joy. She arose and with uplifted 
hands danced up and down the aisle shouting, 
" Glory to God ! oh, glory to God ! He has par- 
doned all my sins." After praising the Lord for 
some length of time, she began to exhort sinners in 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 167 

the chapel and the mourners around the altar. 
"Oh/' she said, "gib up yer pride. Jesus can't 
bless you till you git down. Oh, down with yer 
dignify, I tell yer down with yer dignify. Jesus 
don't want nothin' of yer dignify. You mus' git 
down as humble as a dog. I had to gib up dis vain 
worr. I gib all, yes, all for Christ an' I'se got him 
in my soul." For some time she continued to talk 
in this strain. 

Alice had a powerful voice, was a sweet singer, 
and soon became very useful in the meetings. But 
poor Martha left the chapel unblest, mourning like 
Job, "O that I knew where I might find him." She 
was a victim of consumption, and was soon unable 
to leave her bed. But she continued an earnest 
seeker of salvation ; like the importunate widow 
she carried her trouble to the Lord until He gave 
her the desire of her heart. But unlike that of Alice, 
the work was wrought so gradually in her heart 
that she hardly knew when the change took place. 
But when we were talking to her one day in regard 
to her experience she said, " I believe that Jesus has 
forgiven my sins. I feel no condemnation and no 
fear of death ; but I have not that strong assurance 
and fullness of joy that I feel it my privilege to 
have." We told her to look away from her feelings 
and believe in Jesus for the witness he had promised 
to give, even "the Spirit itself bearing witness with 
her spirit that she was a child of God." We felt 
the Lord very near and urged her to look for it 



l68 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

that moment. We then engaged in prayer and 
asked the Lord to make her sky very clear, and fully 
satisfy her soul. In a few moments her faith claimed 
Christ, and the Spirit quickly filled her heart with 
" all joy and peace in believing," and caused her to 
^^ abound in hope through the power of the Holy 
Ghost." Though very weak she praised the Lord 
with a clear, full voice. " Glory be to God ! " she 
exclaimed, " he owns me for his child ; yes, he owns 
me for his child. I can no longer fear. Glory, glory, 
glory ! " Her face was all aglow with heavenly 
light. She continued very happy from that hour, 
and died soon after. She exhorted all around her 
who were unsaved to prepare to meet her in heaven, 
and those who professed religion to be faithful, then 
bade them all farewell, and when too weak to speak 
she raised her hand, pointed upwards, and with a 
heavenly smile passed away. 

The effect of the Spirit on these two minds was 
apparently as different as their natural dispositions. 
Alice was bold and impulsive, her awakening and 
conversion were sudden, and her exercises demon- 
strative. Martha, who was gentle and retiring, was 
led more slowly and quietly but not less surely to 
the fountain of living waters. 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 1 69 

MR. VAN ALSTYNE. 

We found this young man fast wasting away with 

that fatal disease — consumption. When questioned 

as to the state of his soul he said that he was not 

prepared for death, but was praying and trying 

to get to Jesus. We encouraged him to cast his 

helpless, sinful soul on Christ, who was waiting to 

be gracious to him. One day while we were praying 

with him, his faith gathered strength to claim the 

world's redeemer as his Saviour, and that moment 

his chains fell off, his soul was free, and peace like 

a river flowed through his broken, contrite heart. 

His conversion was clear, and from that hour his 

life though full of suffering was one of triumph. 

All who knew him testified that he lived a most 

consistent christian. He was usually very quiet, 

but his peaceful, happy face told of joys that his 

lips did not utter. He was very happy all through 

his last sickness. At one time he said to us, "I can't 

express my feelings as some do, but I am happy. 

Sometimes as I lay here and get to thinking of heaven 

and how good it will be to be there, it rejoices me so 

that I laugh aloud, I can't help it. Oh, how sweet 

Jesus is to my soul. I long to go and be with him, 

yet I am willing to suffer just as long as he sees best. 

I say *dear Lord, just as pleases thee. I can wait.* " 

Our hearts were often made glad as he talked to us of 

the goodness of God. He died as peacefully as one 

falling asleep. 
15 



170 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

ELIZA SAYLES. 

This woman entered the Home very sick with 
heart disease and dropsy. When we first spoke to 
her we found she was very anxious about her soul. 
*^ Oh ! '* said she, '^ I want religion. I want to save 
my soul ; that is all I want now. I ought to have 
attended to it long ago, but I hope it is not too 
late. I hope God will not cast me off now, at this 
late hour. Night and day I am praying for Jesus 
to forgive my sins." We always felt much of the 
Spirit*s help while praying with her, and at times 
she would exercise a measure of faith which brought 
a degree of peace to her soul — but this was not 
abiding. She would again yield to unbelief and 
groan, being burdened. One day while in great dis- 
tress of soul, she requested a blind girl named Annie 
to read to her. Annie took her Testament, and pass- 
ing her fingers over the raised letters, read aloud 
the fourteenth chapter of St. John. It was the bread 
of heaven to poor Eliza's soul. As she listened to 
the comforting words, " Let not your heart be troub- 
led, ye believe in God believe also in me," her faith 
grasped the precious promise, and in a moment she 
received the witness of sins forgiven, and " rejoiced 
with joy unspeakable and full of glory." The next 
day, as we accosted her with the usual salutation, 
" How do you do to-day, Eliza ? " she threw up both 
hands, and with flowing tears exclaimed, " Splendid^ 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 171 

splendid, splendid ; Jesus has given me a new heart/* 
Her emotions overcame her for a few moments ; then 
she replied more calmly, "I can't tell you as I want to 
— it hurts me so to talk — but it's glorious. Fm so 
happy— all ready to go. I know that Jesus saves 
even me. I only regret that I had not found him 
long ago.'* She lived only a few days after her 
conversion. The last time we saw her, just before 
she died, she said, " It grows brighter and brighter 
all the time. Jesus fills my soul." 



ELLA. 



One afternoon as we visited the Home we were 
met with a request from the doctor not to labor in 
the hospital that day, as there were some very sick, 
and he feared to have them disturbed. The orderly 
of that department, not knowing of the doctor's 
request, sent for us to come to the hospital imme- 
diately, as there was a young woman seeking relig- 
ion, who wished much to see the missionaries. We 
did not go, but prayed the Lord to let her live to 
get saved. On our next visit she was alive, but so 
weak she could only whisper. She was still in great 
distress of mind, calling on God for mercy. We 
gathered around her bed and carried her case to the 
Lord in prayer. She was told to cast her helpless 



172 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

soul with all her sins on Jesus, and trust him to 
save her that very hour. While we were singing 
*^ Come to Jesus, just now,'' she was enabled to lay- 
hold on Christ by faith, and believe in him as her 
Saviour. Her prayers were quickly turned to praise, 
and her sorrow to '^ joy unspeakable and full of 
glory.*' A remarkable change appeared in her 
countenance, and such victory and glory that her 
very looks were sufficient to convict sinners. 

After her conversion she was much strengthened 
in body, and continued in the same triumphant 
state of mind for about three weeks, when she was 
drawn into a subtle snare of the enemy which well 
nigh proved her ruin. Before Ella's conversion a 
catholic woman was admitted and placed in the 
hospital. There are but few catholics among the 
colored people, and these usually have but little 
zeal for their religion. But this woman seemed of 
a very different spirit. She was quite intelligent, 
and appeared to have been trained by her church 
for missionary work. She was kind and obliging, 
interesting herself in the sick, waiting on them by 
day and night. As soon as Ella was converted she 
began to give her great attention, would wait on 
her at all times, and let her want for nothing that 
she could do, at the same time instructing her in the 
catholic religion. At one of our visits we noticed 
this woman's devotion to the young convert and were 
pained to see a marked change in Ella, and asked if 
the woman was not influencing her in the wrong 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 173 

way. She replied, " No, I do not think that she is ;" 
but it proved too true. On the following week we 
were met by Mr. Horton, the chaplain, who requested 
us to go at once and see Ella. He had been con- 
versing with her and found that the catholic priest 
had been there and baptized her, and was coming 
again soon. We went immediately to her ward, but 
alas ! what a change had come over poor Ella ; the 
blackness of despair was settled on that once heaven- 
illumined countenance. Sad and sullen, with her 
face half concealed by the bed-clothes, she refused 
to have any conversation with us. We talked to 
her for some time and asked which made her the 
happier, the protestant or the catholic religion, but 
all to no purpose. We saw that nothing could be 
done by talking or reasoning, so we went to prayer 
and besought the Lord to undertake her case, and 
break the enemy's cruel power over her. It was 
getting late and we had to leave her until another 
week, but we continued to carry her case to the 
Lord. In the meantime the catholic woman was 
removed from the hospital and placed in a ward 
with some of the old saints who were strong enough 
to resist her wiles. Soon after the change was made 
she left the Home. The next time we visited Ella 
we found her deeply penitent, but greatly depressed 
in spirit. Her first words were, " Jesus is gone from 
me. Do pray, oh, do pray and ask Jesus to come 
again to my soul ! *' We immediately engaged in 
prayer. She had a severe struggle before the power 



174 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

of darkness was broken. But the Captain of our 
salvation, who is ^^ mighty to save'' and "strong to 
deliver ;" and who was " manifested to destroy the 
works of the 'devil," gave victory — bless his holy 
name ! The Father again embraced his prodigal 
child, the light of God shone on her bewildered 
mind, his pardoning love filled her soul, and she 
again praised the Lord with all her ransomed powers. 
" Oh ! " she exclaimed, " Jesus has come again to my 
poor soul." And we truly felt that it was so, for 
the glory of the Lord seemed to fill the place. Her 
countenance once more shone with divine glory. We 
committed her to the Lord and left her praising her 
great Deliverer. Her eyes followed us until we left 
the ward. In a day or two after, she died. Her last 
words were, *^ All is well ! " 



AUNT MARY WALTON. 

There has been a glorious work done at the Home 
among the aged, some of whom were quite advanced 
in life. Among these is Aunt Mary Walton, who was 
converted to God in the seventy-sixth year of her 
age. She had been seeking the Lord for several 
months when her distress of soul became so great 
that she could neither eat nor sleep. One Wednes- 
day afternoon the orderly of her ward sent for the 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 175 

missionaries to come and pray with Aunt Mary. We 
found her mourning in great agony of mind. We 
immediately knelt in prayer, and after laboring with 
her about an hour she was enabled to look away from 
herself to Christ and claim him as her Saviour. That 
moment the burden of sin was removed and a deep 
peace took possession of her soul, but the witness 
of the Spirit, the full assurance that the work was 
done, was not yet given. We urged her to keep 
looking to the Lord and to expect it every moment. 
We were obliged to leave, but as we were coming 
out we met Mr. Mackey, who had just closed the 
meeting in the chapel. We asked him to go in and 
see Aunt Mary ; he did so, and while he was singing 
with her the witness of the Spirit was given, as clear 
as the noonday sun, and she " rejoiced with joy 
unspeakable and full of glory,'* and could sing, 

I know that my Redeemer lives, 
What joy the blest assurance gives. 

Considering her age Aunt Mary's conversion \va. 
truly a wonderful work of grace, and has produced 
much conviction among the aged in her ward. She 
lived some three years after her conversion, during 
which time she was truly a shining light. 



176 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

MARTHA HARRIS. 

Martha was a young girl eighteen years of age, 
in whom we took a deep interest from the time she 
entered the Colored Home. When we first saw 
her she was confined to her bed, suffering with 
heart disease and rheumatism. When asked if she 
had friends living in the city she replied, " I have 
no friends. I am from Baltimore, and my mother 
has died since I came North.'* Oh ! how those words 
went to our hearts — **I have no friends.'* And as 
we looked at this poor motherless girl lying on a 
sick-bed among strangers, and at the same time con- 
scious that she had no one in the wide world to love 
or care for her, we lifted our hearts in gratitude 
and thanksgiving for our earthly friends. Presently 
we asked, " Is Jesus your friend } Are you a Chris- 
tian?" "No,** she replied, "I wish I was." We 
then told her that since she was without earthly 
friends she certainly needed Jesus, a friend to whom 
she could go with all her sorrows, cares and trials, 
and feel that he cared for and sympathized with 
her — "a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." 
The tears rolled down her cheeks as we talked to her 
about Jesus. From that day, whenever we talked 
with her about religious things her eyes would fill 
with tears, and she always manifested a great desire 
to get to Jesus and have her sins all washed away 
in his precious blood. She said she was praying all 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. l^^ 

the time and believed God would come and save her. 
After a few weeks she became somewhat better, and 
was able one Wednesday afternoon to attend the 
prayer meeting. She was among the first who 
responded to the invitation for those seeking Jesus 
to come to the altar. She was so weak and her limbs 
were so stiff that she was unable to kneel, but sat 
in a chair by the side of the altar. She wept bit- 
terly, begging the Lord to have mercy on her poor 
soul. Presently she seemed to have a view of the 
way of faith, and instantly she sprang to her feet 
shouting, " Thank God ! Now Jesus is my friend. 
I have no friends here below, but now Jesus is my 
friend. When T came to the meeting I thought I 
was too weak and lame to go to the altar, and when 
I came here I thought I was too weak to pray and 
get blessed. But the Lord helped me to the altar, 
helped me to pray, and then forgave all my sins 
and made me so happy. Thank God and thank Jesus 
too ! He has placed my feet on the rock of eternal 
ages, where the winds may blow and the storms may 
beat, but I shall stand forever. Thank God and 
thank Jesus too ! *' After the meeting had closed 
she told us that she was now so well that she was 
going out to service the following week and earn 
sufficient money to defray her expenses to the South, 
as she thought these Northern winds caused her 
rheumatism. But alas! man proposes but God dis- 
poses. The next day after her conversion Martha 
took a fresh cold, which confined her to her bed, 



178 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

and at the expiration of four weeks death gave her 
a happy release from earthly sufferings, and she 
passed away to her home on high, where 

No chilling winds or poisonous breath 

Can reach that healthful shore ; 
Sickness and sorrow, pain and death, 

Are felt and feared no more. 

She was very happy all through her last sickness 
although her sufferings were extreme. " Oh ! *' she 
said, " it seems so much easier now to bear my pain 
than it was before I got religion. What would I do 
without my Jesus ? '' At one time she was heard to 
exclaim, " Oh, how sweet is this religion ! It is 
sweeter than honey in the honey-comb.'* During her 
brief sickness of four weeks she would oftentimes 
remark, ^^ I was converted just in time.'' 

One day as we were talking with another sick girl 
in the same ward, she pointed over to Martha's bed 
and said, " She has got religion. Oh, if I was only 
as ready to die as she is how glad I should be ! " 
Thus Martha, by the patient endurance of her suffer- 
ings, was enabled to shed an influence for good upon 
those around her, although her pain of body was 
so extreme as to render her incapable of conversing 
with them. A short time before her spirit took its 
flight she repeated these lines, 

I'll lean my head on Jesus' breast, 
And breathe my life out sweetly there. 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 1 79 

JAMES STEELE. 

This man was brought to the Home very sick. On 
conversing with him in reference to his soul we found 
him very ignorant about spiritual things. We have 
seldom found one whose mind was so dark. He would 
admit that he had a soul, and he supposed he ought 
to be converted, but yet he seemed to feel no concern 
for himself. After talking with him for some time, 
and observing that he appeared to be suffering much, 
we asked, " Is there anything that we can do for 
you?" He replied, "If you will bring me some- 
thing to eat. There is plenty here for the well folks, 
but the sick can't eat it. Now ladies, if you will 
bring me a little nourishing food I will be very grate- 
ful.'' On leaving the Home we stepped into a grocery 
near by and ordered some nourishment to be sent 
him that night. This act of kindness won his entire 
confidence, so that ever after he listened attentively 
to what we had to say about religion ; and that 
God who hath said, " I am the Lord, the God of all 
flesh, is there anything too hard for me ? " took his 
case in hand, enlightened his dark understanding 
and gave him to see himself 

A wretched sinner, lost to God, 
But ransomed by Immanuers blood. 

As the light of the Spirit shone on his dark heart, 
revealing his utter sinfulness and helplessness out of 



l8o BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

Christ, he became greatly concerned about his eter- 
nal welfare and at times almost sank into despair. 
One day as we entered the Home a man came in 
haste, saying, *^Mr. Steele is dying in great distress 
of mind and he wants the missionaries to come and 
pray with him." We went immediately, but before 
we reached^ the ward the Lord spoke peace to his 
troubled soul, so that instead of praying we joined 
in praising his great Deliverer. As we drew near 
his bed he reached out his hand saying, ** Oh, Tm so 
glad you have come. I wanted to tell you what I 
feel, but I can't. Oh, it's so sweety so sweet, Jesus has 
come ! Oh, how sweet ! I can't thank you enough 
for showing me this good precious way ; O that I 
had known it before ! How I wish that everybody 
would come and get it, it's free for all. Oh, what a 
treasure I have found — I can't tell it ! Why, I have a 
kingdom, I feel the life of God in my soul ; yes, eter- 
nal life, and nobody can take it from me. The Holy 
Ghost has come. O for words to express what I feel." 
Here he seemed to get a view of the heavenly land 
and began to speak of the ** Home of the Blest " as 
though he were already there, " Oh ! " said he, 
" what sweet fruit. Why I am feeding on rich 
grapes. I'm under the tree of life. Oh, how sweet — 
and the water of life ! I don't want anything more 
of this world since I have tasted of these. What I 
get down here is like eating out of swill-barrels and 
dnnking out of mud puddles compared with what 
I get up yonder. And such company. Oh, Jesus is 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. l8l 

SO sweety so sweet ! Sweeter than roses ; sweeter than 
apple blossoms in June ; sweeter than two kegs of 
honey ; sweeter than all the sweet things in the world 
— and he is mine. I feel that his blood washes me all 
clean. I am dying, but I would like to live a little 
longer to try to tell it.'' He asked to see one of the 
young doctors who had attended him. When he 
came he took him by the hand and began to talk of 
Jesus and what he had done for his soul. "Oh," 
said he, " doctor, if you have not found him and this 
sweet salvation, I beg of you to seek it. You are 
young and have a good practice, but if you had all 
the city of New York it would be nothing compared 
with this. Oh, it's worth all the world ! O doctor, 
get it, believe in Jesus. The Jews knew that he was 
Christ but they would not own it." He continued 
talking in this way for some length of time, while the 
doctor listened attentively, seemed somewhat moved 
and replied, " Well, Mr. Steele, I have tried to do you 
all the good I could, but I could not cure you." "I 
know you have," responded the dying man, " and I 
thank you for it ; but I want you to get this sweet 
salvation and meet me in heaven." We were informed 
that the young doctor was a Jew, and this explained 
to our minds why he referred to the Jews in his con- 
versation with him. We felt that God was in the man 
speaking to the heart of that unbeliever, and had 
chosen the weak and ignorant to confound the 
worldly-wise. Mr. Steele lived a few days longer to 

the astonishment of all, for while we sat by his side 
16 



1 82 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

we expected every moment that his happy soul would 
be freed from its clay tenement. He continued in 
the same triumphant frame of mind, praising God 
almost continually while reason lasted. For a few 
hours before he died he sank into a state of uncon- 
sciousness. 



CONVERSION OF A CHINESE. 

Among the many interesting conversions that we 
have witnessed at the Home was that of a Chinese. 
When first spoken to on the subject of religion we 
found him in heathen darkness. He said he did 
not believe in God, heaven or hell, and that he had 
never felt troubled about his soul, for he did not 
think he had one. We endeavored to instruct him 
in the things of religion from time to time, and 
warned him of his danger and of the awful conse- 
quences of dying out of Christ, as he would then be 
lost forever. At length the Holy Spirit began to 
enlighten his mind, convicting and convincing him 
of sin, so that he became a willing and earnest 
listener to all that we said, and manifested great con- 
cern for the salvation of his soul. One Wednesday 
afternoon he presented himself at the altar for prayer, 
when the " Sun of Righteousness arose with healing 
in his wings,'* shining away the darkness and error 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 183 

of heathenism, and leading his simple, earnest soul 
to "the fountain opened in the house of David for 
sin and for uncleanness/' He gave in his testimony in 
the meeting with much feeling. He could speak but 
little of our language, but we could understand him 
when laying his hand on his breast he said, ^^ I feel 
Jesus in my heart ! I feel Jesus in my heart I '^ 



HATTIE. 

One day while visiting at the Home we were told 
that there was a young girl in one of the wards 
unsaved and lying at the point of death. We soon 
learned that she was so low the doctors did not 
allow any one to see her. The next time we went 
to the Home she was somewhat better, but still con- 
sidered too low to bear any excitement. We stepped 
to her bed and spoke a few words to her about 
Jesus, the sinner's friend. The tears flowed down her 
cheeks. "Oh,'' said she, "I am a great sinner, but 
if Jesus will have mercy on me and forgive all my 
sins, I will serve him as long as I live. Oh, do 
pray for me." But we were obliged to leave her 
without complying with her request. On the follow- 
ing Wednesday we went to the ward to carry her 
some nourishment, and asked how she felt in body. 
She burst into tears and said, " O ladies, will you 



184 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

come and pray with me ? " She was very low, and 
we thought her dying, but we gathered around her 
bed and began to sing. As we knelt in prayer her 
agony of soul was intense. " Oh ! ** said she, ** I have 
been almost in hell. I saw the horrible pit, and I was 
just over it, ready to sink, but I begged the Lord to 
have mercy on me and not let me drop in, and I 
would turn from all my wicked ways and serve him, 
and now I mean to do it. Here I am. Lord ; here 
I am. I give myself to thee. Oh, do, please Jesus, 
forgive all my sins, and I will serve thee.'* At4ength 
she began to trust the Saviour, and in a few moments 
her soul was filled with joy and peace, and she 
praised the Lord with all her ransomed powers. She 
called the orderly and told her what Jesus had done 
for her soul. " Oh ! '' said she, ** the Lord has par- 
doned all my sins. I lie here to-day on this sick 
bed, but by to-morrow I may be with the angels in 
heaven. Oh, how glad I am that God spared my life 
until I found my Saviour ! " She thanked us again 
and again for praying with her. But we told her to 
thank Jesus for he had done it all. She then com- 
menced praying for her unconverted parents who 
lived at Washington, and begged us to remember 
them in prayer. The Wednesday after her conver- 
sion we were surprised to see Hattie in the meeting. 
She was very happy and her testimony was, " The 
Lord has not only blessed my soul but he has blessed 
my body too ; and since then I have been getting 
strong so fast** She soon recovered her usual health 
and left the Home. 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 185 

A SPANIARD 

One day while passing through the wards, convers- 
ing with the inmates of the Home, our attention was 
especially drawn to a young Spaniard who, sick with 
consumption, had recently entered the institution. 
He looked very sad as he told us of his lonely con- 
dition, with no friends here, sick, and far from home. 
We told him about Jesus, the " friend that sticTceth 
closer than a brother.*' The tears coursed down his 
cheeks as he replied, " O ladies, dat is what I wants, 
dis Jesus you tells about." We asked if he was sorry 
for his sins, and explained to him the plan of salva- 
tion by faith in Christ. He seemed to comprehend it 
at once, and said, laying his hand on his heart, " I so 
sorry for all my sins. I wants Jesus to take dem all 
away.'* While we sang and prayed with him his 
simple faith laid hold on Christ, and joy unspeakable 
filled his soul. His face lit up with ^the glory he 
could not express, and looking at us he said, " I no 
'fear'd to die now. Jesus forgive all my sins ; Jesus 
take me to heaven." He continued very happy in 
his soul. A few days after his conversion when we 
asked if Jesus was with him he replied, " Oh, yes ; 
Jesus with me all de time, and he make me feel 
so good." Feeling somewhat better in body, he soon 
left the Home. 



l86 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

ALICE 

We found this young girl at the Home confined to 
her bed, very sick, and all unprepared to die. As we 
talked with her one day she began to weep, " Oh ! '* 
she exclaimed, *'I feel that this is my last sickness. 
I don*t think I shall live long, and I am not ready to 
die. Oh, if I had only given my heart to God before, 
if I was only ready now to meet God ! but I am not.'* 
Then she would weep violently and ask the Lord 
to have mercy on her soul. We sang and prayed 
with her, endeavoring to point her to Jesus as the 
'^ Lamb of God," who would even then take away 
her sins, if she would but confess and forsake them 
and believe in the Lord Jesus. Before we left she 
felt somewhat encouraged, though not satisfied. After 
this, when talking and praying with her she always 
wept and would often say, ^^ Oh, why is it that I 
cannot get religion } I have prayed, I have repented 
of my sins, I have wept before the Lord ; what more 
can I do ? One day we asked, ^* Alice, supposing 
the Lord should raise you from this sick-bed, would 
you go back to your old wicked ways ? '* Very 
emphatically she replied, " Oh, no, no ! I want nothing 
more to do with the devil's works. I want Jesus.*' 
Still she did not get saved, and we often wondered 
what it could be that held her. One Monday after- 
noon we had been praying with Alice and were about 
leaving the ward when she called us to her bedside 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 187 

and said, " There is something on my mind I would 
like to tell you, I have often wanted to speak of it 
but didn't know as it was best. But yesterday, while 
the chaplain was talking with me, and I told him I 
did not know what it could be that hindered me 
from getting saved, he said that there was a girl at 
the Home some time ago who entered under an 
assumed name, and she had to acknowledge it. Oh, 
how this did make me feel ! Immediately I knew 
that I must confess what I had done. Now, my 

name is not Alice but Isabella . I have been 

a very wild girl, and have been the means of bringing 
many, many gray hairs in my mother's head. I gave 
this false name so that if she should advertise she 
would be unable to find me. I don't know where my 
poor mother is. Oh, how I want to see her ! I 
have confessed this to you and now I must tell the 
doctors, then I will feel that every obstacle has been 
removed. Oh ! I feel so much lighter and better 
since I told you this, and I do believe it won't be 
long before I shall know that my sins are all for- 
given." 

On the following Wednesday as we entered the 
ward we noticed that the doctors had changed the 
name on the card over her bed — it now read Isabella 

■-. She had not yet found Jesus, but was feeling 

greatly encouraged. Many times after this she 
would tell us that she had a very quick temper, and 
if the Lord would only help her to overcome that 
she felt she could be saved ; but under the least 



l88 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

provocation she would get angry, then feel dis- 
couraged and think she could never get religion 
there, where she was constantly coming in contact 
with such a variety of dispositions. She said that 
she prayed and asked the Lord to keep her, but 
then in an unguarded moment she would get angry 
with some one of the girls. She wept bitterly while 
telling us of these failures. One day we read to her 
the fifth chapter of Matthew, and when we had finished 
it she said, ^'That is just what I need ; I ought to read 
that chapter every day." 

On the following Wednesday she was able to go 
into meeting, and when an invitation was given for 
those seeking religion to come to the altar, Isabella 
was the first to go. For nearly an hour she wept 
and prayed, the tears and perspiration rolling down 
her face ; she would cry, " O Lord, do have mercy on 
my poor soul ; why have I stayed away so long ? 
Oh, why can't my sins be pardoned ? " While they 
were singing 

He arose, he arose, he arose from the dead, 
And the angel rolled the stone away, 

the Spirit of God was sensibly felt and Isabella 
seemed very near the kingdom of grace. While sing- 
ing that hymn another seeker named Lizzie, who 
was kneeling at the end of the altar, received the 
witness that her sins were pardoned, and springing to 
her feet she began to shout the praises of God. We 
heard but little she said, however, for our attention 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 189 

was more on Isabella, as we had for so many weeks 
been praying for her, and were very anxious she 
should be saved that hour. For some length of time 
she was constantly saying, " I do believe, I do believe ; 
take away my unbelief. Lord.'* Presently she arose 
and with uplifted hands and tears coursing down her 
cheeks exclaimed, " Lord, I do now, before thee 
and in the presence of all these people, promise to 
serve thee as long as I live. Help me now to believe 
in thee. I do believe, oh, glory ! '* — and that moment 
her faith grasped the blessing and her mourning 
was turned to joy. She walked up and down the 
aisle embracing the saints and exhorting her unsaved 
friends to come to Jesus. Her joy was unspeakable. 
A few days after this she was again confined to her 
bed, and as we were sympathizing with her in her 
bodily sufferings she said, " Oh, I don't mind these 
aches and pains now that my mind is at rest. Now 
when I am in trouble I know to whom to go for help." 
A few months 'after her conversion Isabella became 
so much stronger in body that she was able to leave 
the Home, and went as nurse-girl with a Christian 
family of this city. But she went taking Jesus with 
her. 



igo BRANDS FROM THE BURNING, 



MARY BEAMS. 



This young woman was a resident of Philadel- 
phia in early life, during which time she was con- 
verted to God and joined the Bethel Church of that 
city, of which the Rev. Mr. Williams subsequently 
became pastor. After some length of time she came 
to New York, where she was married to James 
Beams, a gifted, pious young man, a local preacher 
and class-leader in the Zion Church of this cit5^ 
He was one of the "sweet singers of Israel,** and 
his church speaks of him as having been very useful 
in helping on the work of God. 

They lived happily together for about two years, 
when James was laid on his death-bed. He was 
blessed with much of the divine presence during 
his sickness, and longed to depart and be with 
Christ. The night that he died he said to a young 
man, an intimate friend and brother in the Lord, 
" Philip, I want you to promise me that you will 
look after my wife and child when I am gone.*' 
The young man assured him that he would do 
so. A cloud of divine glory filled the room where 
this good man met his fate. After repeated expres- 
sions of thanksgiving and gratitude to God for 
his mercies, and to his friends for their kindness, 
he sang in a clear and melodious strain, 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. ipi 

This, this is the God we adore, 
Our faithful, unchangeable friend, 
Whose love is as great as his power. 
And neither knows measure nor end. 
'Tis Jesus, the first and the last, 
Whose Spirit shall guide us safe home ; 
We'll praise him for all that is past, 
And trust him for all that's to come. 

And in a few minutes after his 

Ransomed spirit soared away 
To mingle in the blaze of day. 

Mary felt her loss very keenly. James was a most 
affectionate husband, a good provider, and being 
so eminently spiritual he was a great help to her 
m the divine life. After his death, her health being 
poor and her nerves very weak, she fell into a 
state of despondency and gave way to evil reason- 
ings and murmurings against the Lord. This want 
of submission to the divine will brought great hard- 
ness and darkness over her heart, and she soon 
became a backslider from God. Having but few 
friends in the city, and those few being devoted 
Christians, she shrank from meeting them after she 
had turned away from her Saviour. 

She recovered a measure of strength and then 
felt that she must do something for the support 
of herself and child. Having obtained a situation 
she placed her babe with Mrs. S., a kind-hearted 
widow, who being in feeble health was glad to 



192 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

have the care of the little boy and receive a small 
sum for her reward. After Mary went to her ser- 
vice place her friends lost all trace of her for more 
than two years. During this time her former pastor, 
Mr. Williams, was sent by his conference tp the 
Bethel Church of this city. He often inquired after 
Mary, but could obtain no information respecting 
her. But one day as he was crossing the street he 
saw her on the opposite side. He immediately 
went to her, and, taking her by the hand, tenderly 
inquired into the state of her soul. She told him 
that she had lost her religion. He talked to her 
kindly for some time and urged her to promise that 
she would begin to pray. " No," she replied, ** I 
can't pray. I have not prayed for a long time. God 
has dealt very hard with me. He has taken away 
my husband and my all. I can't pray ; I won't 
pray ! " 

Soon after this interview her health, which was 
always delicate, entirely failed, and she was pros- 
trated on a sick bed with consumption. She 
was carried to the house of Mrs. S., who had the 
care of her child. There she found a temporary 
shelter, which was miserable indeed but the best 
that Mrs. S. could furnish, for she was herself a poor 
consumptive, and far gone with that disease. She 
had become too weak to take proper care of her 
room, and her only help was two daughters who' 
were quite young and knew but very little about 
work. Consequently their room had become too 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. I93 

filthy for the abode of any human being. In this 
wretched place we found poor Mary Beams. One 
miserable, filthy bed with scanty covering served for 
the whole family, consisting of Mrs. S., her two girls 
and little Jimmy Beams. Mary was lying on a hard 
couch in a most uncomfortable condition. There 
was a striking contrast between the lovely occupant 
of that narrow couch and her surroundings in the 
dismal, dirty room. Mary was a neat, tidy young 
woman ; intelligent, refined, and very beautiful. 

When she was questioned in regard to her pros- 
pects for eternity, she said that she was not ready 
for death, but was praying and was very desirous to 
find the Saviour. The missionaries called to see her 
often. One day while praying with her she received 
a measure of peace but was not fully satisfied. 
The whole family was in a suffering condition for 
food, fuel, bedding and clothing. Mary begged to 
be removed from that filthy place, and said she 
would be glad to be taken to the Home. Through 
the kindness of a benevolent lady of this city this 
suffering family was made comparatively comfort- 
able. Mary was placed on a soft pillow in a car- 
riage and one of our missionaries accompanied her 
to the Home. Shortly after she entered the institu- 
tion her wasted form was placed upon a water-bed, 
which is a rubber bed filled with several barrels of 
water, making it so soft and flexible that a poor 
consumptive can lie upon it for many months with- 
out suffering from bed-sores. Not so with those 
17 



194 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

who are obliged to lie on the hard straw beds ; the 
bones soon wear through the skin and their suffer- 
ings on this account are indescribable. They have 
but one water-bed at the Home. This was brought 
there by a sick woman who died and left it to the 
institution. If some of the Lord's stewards would 
use a few hundred dollars to provide water-beds 
for the Home, where so many of these poor crea- 
tures die with this lingering disease — consumption 
— what a noble deed of charity it would be. '* Blessed 
are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.'* 
(Matt, v., 7.) 

Mary lived nearly a year after she went to the 
Home. Being placed upon the water bed she was 
quite comfortable, suffering but little until a few 
weeks before her death. For several weeks she had 
many conflicts of mind, but after a time her 
religious experience became clear and satisfactory, 
and joy unspeakable filled her soul. She told us 
that Jesus revealed himself to her one night when 
all in the ward were asleep. 

Her former pastor, Mr. Williams, and her friend 
Philip and others, being informed that she was at 
the Home, visited her frequently. Her friends would 
gladly have removed her, but she was too low to 
endure the fatigue. She had the best of care at the 
Home, and was a general favorite with all. She 
often said to us, '' I can never thank you enough 
for getting me out of that dreadful place. I don't 
think I could have lived one week longer suffer- 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. I95 

ing as I did. Now I am so comfortable ; everybody 
is kind to me here. I don't want for anything, and 
it is so clean here, so clean.** In regard to having 
nourishment provided for her she was favored above 
many. Philip let her want for nothing that he could 
procure. After her conversion she had but one 
earthly care, and that was the dear child she had 
left in that uncomfortable place. She begged us if 
possible to bring him to her. We soon obtained a 
** permit'* to take him to the Home, but when we 
went for the child Mrs. S. and the family were 
unwilling to part with him. They had become so 
deeply attached to the little fellow that we could in 
no way persuade them to let him go. They said 
his mother would soon die and then they intended 
to care for Jimmy. We saw that Mrs. S. was fast 
failing and concluded not to take the child until 
after her death. She lived through the summer 
months and died early in the fall. Then little 
Jimmy was left to the care of the two girls. Soon 
after her death we went to get the child, supposing 
that they would now be glad to be relieved of their 
burden. But we found these young girls as unwill- 
ing to let him go as had been the mother. He had 
a large place in their hearts, and they clung to him 
with all the devotion of affectionate sisters. But 
Mary, knowing that Mrs. S. was dead, and that the 
young girls were unfit to have the care of the 
child, became greatly concerned for his welfare. 
We endeavored by kind persuasions to mduce 



196 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

them to take Jimmy to his mother, but all to no 
purpose. Finally, as a last resort, we were com- 
pelled to state the case to the Superintendent of the 
Out-door Poor, who immediately sent an officer 
to take the child. When the girls learned that they 
were compelled to let him go they wept aloud. He 
was brought to our house in a wretched condition ; 
his clothing was filthy and covered with vermin. 
After he was thoroughly cleansed and neatly clothed 
we took him to his mother. 

Jimmy was about three years old, beautiful, and 
remarkably intelligent. We were often reminded of 
what was said of the child Jesus, "They were aston- 
ished at his understanding and answers.'* During 
his stay in the hospital several deaths occurred. 
One day, having seen the lifeless form of one of 
the inmates placed in a coffin and carried from 
the ward, he ran to his mother and climbing upon 
a bench by the bedside, he threw his arms around 
her neck and began to cry. "Oh, mamma," said 
he, "you is sick. Is you going to die? I don't 
want you put in that box." Mary pacified the child 
by replying, " No, Jimmy dear, mamma is not 
going to die ; she is only going to heaven where 
papa is, and where Jimmy is going too." These 
tender expressions of the little one wrung the 
mother's heart, and made her feel that it would be 
better to send him away before that solemn event 
took place. Philip had kindly offered to adopt the 
child. But Mary's aunt, who lived near Phila- 



J 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. I97 

delphia, hearing that she was about to die, came 
to visit her aitd offered to take little Jimmy into 
their family as an own son. As they are in com- 
fortable circumstances and have no children, the 
mother gladly consented. So they took the child 
to Philadelphia. 

Mary lived but a short time after this. She suf- 
fered extremely for a few weeks, but with great 
patience. None ever heard a murmur escape her 
lips. We shall never forget her pale, sweet face 
with its hectic flush, her soft brown eyes beaming 
with the light of heaven, and the cheerful smile 
that greeted us week after week as we entered her 
ward. She looked truly angelic. At one time she 
said to us, " I suffer greatly, but I am happy in 
my soul, and would rather lie here on this bed of 
pain and suffering than to be the daughter of A. T. 
Stewart or Cornelius Vanderbilt without religion." 
The last time we saw her she was suffering extremely, 
and as we sympathized with her she replied, ^' Yes, 
I know I am a great sufferer, but I lie here and 
think how much more my blessed Redeemer has 
suffered for me, and besides, it is only for a short 
time. It will soon be over. All is well." When 
dying she said to one standing by, " Oh, don't you 
feel glad that I am so near home } " She repeatedly 
expressed a desire to see the missionaries. 

Philip most nobly kept his promise to his dying 
brother, James Beams, by doing everything in his 
power for his widow and orphan. He had Mary's 



igS BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

remains placed in a neat coffin and takeii to the 
Bethel Church, where Mr. Williams preached a 
solemn sermon to a large and attentive congrega- 
tion. He gave a brief but most interesting account 
of Mary's former experience when she was under 
his pastoral care in Philadelphia. From the church 
her remains were carried to Cypress Hills Ceme- 
tery and interred in the same grave with her 
husband. 

**Let me die the death of the righteous, and let 
my last end be like his.'* 




BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. I99 



CHAPTER IX 



DEATH-BED REPENTANCES. 

We once had but little faith for the salvation of 
desperate sinners, especially when on their dying 
beds. But since our experience in this mission work 
we are constrained to say with one of old, " Of a truth 
I perceive that God is no respecter of persons,'' but 
" Whosoever will may come and take the water of life 
freely." Instead of laboring with such souls as for- 
merly, with our own minds full of doubts and unbelief, 
questioning whether or no they have not sinned away 
their day of grace or committed the unpardonable 
sin, or perhaps their repentance is not genuine, we 
now approach the dying sinner like one of the bitten 
Israelites of old who, having been healed of the 
deadly wound himself, sets about helping his friends 
and neighbors to the same remedy. He does not 
question God's willingness to heal everybody who looks 
at the brazen serpent ; for the promise is, ^' And it 
shall come to pass that every one that is bitten, when 
he looketh upon it shall live." (Num. xxi., 8.) And 
Jesus says, ^^As Moses lifted up the serpent in the 



200 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

wilderness even so must the Son of man be lifted 
up, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish 
but have eternal life." (John iii., 14, 15.) Whosoever 
— that means everybody ; so when we find these poor 
sinners on their death-beds, instead of looking at the 
difficulties in the way of their conversion we point 
them to Jesus, who says, " Look unto me and be ye 
saved, all ye ends of the earth." And why not offer 
the Saviour to a sick and dying sinner as well as to 
one in health ? We would approach the vilest when 
not sick, and urge them to break off from their sins 
and give their hearts to God. Is death-sickness the 
unpardonable sin .^ But it is thought that those who 
seek religion on their death-beds do so from neces- 
sity and would not repent did not death stare them 
in the face. Well, thank the Lord, then, for sickness 
and death, if nothing else would bring them to the 
Saviour. They had better be saved " so as by fire " 
than not at all. 

Others hold that death-bed conversions, as a rule, 
are not genuine, because so many who profess to be 
converted in time of sickness, on being restored to 
health return to their former evil ways, and seem to 
lose all serious feelings and concern for their souls. 
But is not the same true of revivals of religion ? 
How many of those who profess to be converted in 
revival meetings persevere and become established 
christians ? Sickness and death we believe to be 
the only way in which the Lord can save many poor 
careless sinners. Paul speaks of delivering some 



II 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 20l 

" unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that 
the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." 
(i Cor., v., 5.) And if sickness and death be God's ap- 
pointed means, how careful should we be to cooperate 
with his merciful designs in saving deathless souls. 
But let not the neglecter of salvation, who may read 
these pages, decide that a death-bed is the most 
favorable place for repentance. The experience of 
all who have tried it, even those who were converted 
at that late hour, is quite to the contrary. They 
speak of it as a very unfit place to do the great 
business for eternity. And this testimony is true for 
the following reasons : 

First. — There is often so much of bodily pain 
attending the death sickness, that it is exceedingly 
difficult and oftentimes quite impossible to turn the 
mind to the concerns of the soul. 

Second. — The dying sinner often loses his reason 
and is unconscious of his perilous condition until he 
awakes in the eternal world. Or the nature of his 
disease may be such that he does not apprehend 
danger until even the death-bed opportunity for 
repentance is gone forever. 

Again, large numbers of the unsaved meet with a 
sudden death — as in the burning of the Brooklyn 
Theatre, when three hundred deathless souls were 
hurried into eternity in a few moments, others go 
by shipwreck or railroad accident, or drop dead 
from heart disease or apoplexy. We are living in 
a world where 



20i BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

Death rides on every passing breeze, 

And lurks in every flower ; 
Each season has its own disease, 

Its perils every hour. 

And— 

Dangers stand thick through all the ground, 

To push us to the tomb ; 
And fierce diseases wait around 

To hurry mortals home. 

Hence there is no safety save in obeying the divine 
command, " Be ye also ready, for in such an hour as 
ye think not the Son of man cometh.'* 

Having given in this book, an account of so many 
glorious death-bed conversions, we feel it our duty 
to speak of a few among many with whom we labored 
long and faithfully when on their death-beds, but 
who, nevertheless, apparently died unsaved. 

One was James H., a youth about seventeen years 
of age, whom we found prostrated on a sick bed in 
the hospital department of the Colored Home. He 
was small of his age, and being wasted with disease 
he looked like a mere child, and we thought as we 
beheld his innocent little face, " Surely it will be easy 
work to lead Jemmy to the Saviour ; *' but we were 
never more mistaken. When spoken to about his 
soul he confessed that he was a sinner and was unpre- 
pared to die, but would always add, "I am too sick 
to get religion now, when I get better I will seek the 
Lord." He was almost gone with consumption but 
we did not, at first, break the dreadful news to him 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 203 

that he must die. But as he continued to resist all 
efforts for his conversion we finally told him the 
worst of his case as tenderly and encouragingly as 
possible, that it was better to die young and go to 
heaven than to live in sin until he was an old man, 
and finally lose his soul. We also told him how Jesus 
loved him and was waiting to save him, and if he 
gave his heart to the Saviour he would soon send 
the angels to carry him to heaven. But a scowl 
would always come over his face and he would reply 
impatiently, " I am not going to die. I shall be bet- 
ter soon." Finding that tender dealing did not move 
him we would read the threatenings of the Word 
and sing some of the most solemn awakening hymns, 
warning him of the burning lake that must be his 
portion unless he made his peace with God. But 
the young rebel was not to be coaxed or frightened 
into repentance. The last effort that we made for 
his salvation was one of the most solemn meetings 
that we ever held around the bed of the dying sin- 
ner. He was almost gone. We told him that we 
feared we should never see him again, and that he 
would never more hear us sing or pray as he would, 
no doubt, be gone before we came again. We urged 
and entreated him to pray, and warned him again 
and again of his danger, but all to no purpose. He 
became very angry and said, " I am not going to die. 
I've only got a cold and my cough is better now than 
it was. I shall be well before long." We never saw 
him again. He died soon after in raging despair. 



204 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

The inmates said that his death was one of the most 
awful they ever witnessed. 

In a bed nearly opposite where James died lay 
another poor sinner nearing the grave with consump- 
tion. We had labored with him frequently, but he 
was never thoroughly awakened until he witnessed 
the fearful closing scene of poor Jimmy's life. At 
our next visit as we inquired into the state of his 
mind he replied with streaming tears, " I want relig- 
ion. I am praying all the time for it. Do pray for 
me. Oh ! I don't want to die as James died. I seem 
to see him now in hell. Oh, everlasting, everlasting r 
Here the terrible thought of eternal death overcame 
him and he sobbed aloud. We pointed him to the 
Saviour, and then carried his case to the Lord in 
prayer. His soul was in an agony and he wept cry- 
ing, " God be merciful to me, a sinner.'* We con- 
tinued in prayer with him for about two hours, 
when suddenly his burden of guilt and sin was 
removed and the Lord spoke peace to his troubled 
soul. We left him praising God. A few hours after 
he received the witness of the Spirit, and rejoiced 
with joy unspeakable and full of glory. He lived 
only a short time after his conversion, but kept the 
victory to the end. 

Another was the case of a middle aged man who was 
brought to the hospital very low with consumption. 
From the time he entered the institution he would 
allow no one to pray with him or converse on the 
subject of religion. We can usually in time of sick- 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 205 

ness get access to hearts by paying some attention to 
the poor suffering bodies. So we occasionally took 
him oranges or delicate food, which pleased him 
much and won his confidence so far that he allowed 
us to pray and talk closely with him about his soul. 
But it was evident that he consented from respect 
to the missionaries rather than any concern he felt 
for his own soul. He usually told us he was not 
very sick, and should be well soon. One day when 
he was near death we went to see him, feeling a 
great concern for his soul, and made another and 
final effort for his salvation. We told him that we 
had come three miles that sultry day to pray with 
him, because we thought he was very near death, 
and feared he would lose his soul. He grew very 
angry as soon as we told him that he was near 
death, and replied very abruptly but scarcely above 
a whisper, " I don't thank you for taking so much 
pains to tell me I am going to die. I don't believe 
that I am going to die. My lungs are as sound as 
any man's lungs." But he lived only a few days 
after this. When dying one of the men in the hos- 
pital said to him, '* Do you know that you are dying ? " 
He replied, ** Yes." " Well, what have you to say now 
for yourself ? " ^' I am lost T' he: said, and soon after 
breathed his last. 

At another time one of the inmates asked us to 
speak to a sick man who lay in a bed on the oppo- 
site side of the ward. We asked, " Is he a Christian 

or seeking the Lord } " The reply was, *' No, he is a 
18 



2o6 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

very wicked man. He gets angry and swears fear- 
fully.'' Stepping to his bedside we began to talk with 
him tenderly about his soul. We told him that he 
was a very sick man, and ought to be seeking his 
soul's salvation. He replied in a light, careless man- 
ner, "Well, I do feel pretty bad, and sometimes I 
think I will never get well ; then again, I think per- 
haps I shall get up again and be able to hobble 
about and do a little for my own support." Looking 
at the card over his bed, it read, " Age, 60 years." 
We said, " You are sixty years old. Don't you think 
that you have lived in sin long enough ? Sixty years 
is a long time to serve the devil. Supposing you 
should get well, don't you think that you ought to 
give your heart to God and serve him the rest of 
your life?" "Oh!" he replied, "sixty years is not 
very old. I belong to a long-lived race. My parents 
and fore-fathers lived to a great age." Having warned 
him of his danger in neglecting his soul, we sang 
that solemn hymn, 

Vain man, thy fond pursuits forbear : 

Repent thine end is nigh ; 
Death, at the farthest, can't be far ; 

Oh, think, before thou die. 

We then spent some time in praying that the Lord 
would awaken his poor, careless soul, but left him 
apparently as we found him, unconcerned. It was 
about four o'clock in the afternoon when we left 
his bed-side. At eleven o'clock of the same night 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 207 

he fled into an awful eternity. His sudden death 
was unexpected by all. When we left him we 
thought that he might live several weeks. He, too, 
seemed unconscious of the fact that he was dying, 
and the men in the ward did not perceive it until he 
was about breathing his last. " He that being often 
reproved hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be 
destroyed, and that without remedy/' (Prov. xxix., i.) 



MARY. 

Another terrible warning to procrastinating sin- 
ners is the case of Mary. She had been an inmate 
of the Home for several months, and was a regular 
attendant at the Wednesday afternoon meetings. 
She often manifested much concern for her soul, and 
several times went to the altar as a seeker of sal- 
vation. The last time but one that she presented 
herself for prayer will never be forgotten by those 
who labored with her. She was heart-broken, crying 
for mercy, and seemed truly not far from the 
kingdom of God. An unusual spirit of prayer was 
given the saints in her behalf, but she failed to receive 
the blessing and left the chapel unsaved. Never- 
theless, as she was earnestly seeking the Lord we 
expected soon to see her rejoicing in Christ as her 
Saviour ; but meeting with an unexpected trial soon 



208 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

after she became angry, thereby grieving the Spirit, 
and brought hardness and darkness over her heart. 
She continued to attend the meetings, but never 
could be induced to put forth the same earnest 
effort for the salvation of her soul. The last time 
she came into the chapel three of the missionaries 
went to her at different times during the meeting, 
urging and entreating her to take her place among 
the mourners at the altar. But she positively refused 
to go. A few days after this she was taken with her 
last sickness. She was in great distress of mind 
from the first, but it seemed to be more the agony 
of despair than that true repentance which cries, 

Guilty I stand before thy face, 

On me I feel thy wrath abide ; 
'Tis just the sentence should take place ; 

'Tis just— but oh, thy Son hath died. 

We visited her a few times during her sickness and 
tried in every possible way to get her eyes off from 
herself and her sins to that Saviour who is able to 
save to the uttermost ; but all to no purpose. Those 
who had the care of her said that she died a fearful 
death, often shrieking, ^^ I am burning ; I am burn- 
ing. Oh, do take the clothes off from me for I am 
in the flames ! " 

There is a time, we know not when, 

A point we know not where. 
That marks the destiny of man 

To glory or despair. 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 209 

There is a line, by us unseen, 

That crosses every path, 
The hidden boundary between ^ 

God's patience and his wrath. 

Oh, where is that mysterious bourn 

By which our paths are crossed, 
Beyond which God himself hath sworn 

That he who goes is lost. 

How long may I go on in sin, 

How long will God forbear. 
Where does hope end, and where begin 

The confines of despair ? 

An answer from the skies is sent, 

**Ye who from God depart. 
While it is called to-day repent 

And harden not your heart." 



ilO BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 



CHAPTER X. 



PREVAILING PRAYER 



MR. G. AND HIS FAMILY. 

At the time we became acquainted with this inter- 
esting family it consisted of Mr. and Mrs. G., two 
sons and two daughters. The wife and mother was 
a devoted Christian, but Mr. G., although strictly- 
moral, was destitute of religion. George, the oldest 
of the children, an interesting young man about 
eighteen years of age, was wasting away with a 
slow, deceptive consumption. All of his friends and 
neighbors thought him in his last sickness ; but 
George thought otherwise, said he had taken a hard 
cold but should feel better when the weather became 
warm. When questioned about his prospects for 
eternity he was serious and tender. He said he was 
not prepared to die ; he knew he ought to have relig- 
ion, and when urged to set about seeking it at once 
he promised to do so, and we have reason to believe 
that he did. At one time, soon after our first visit, 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 211 

as two of the missionaries were laboring with him 
the Lord gave them much assurance that it was His 
will to save him that hour ; he was also greatly- 
drawn out in prayer for himself, but gave up the 
struggle before deliverance came. However, he 
seemed so near the Lord we expected to see him 
speedily and powerfully converted ; but in this we 
were disappointed. The enemy who defeated this 
first contest for the kingdom in a measure took pos- 
session of his mind, and seemed to paralyze his will 
and emotions so that he settled down into a state of 
indifference or spiritual stupor, which for months 
baffled every effort put forth for his salvation. 

In was early in the fall when we made his acquaint- 
ance. He lived through the winter and spring until 
about the middle of June ; and during all those 
months we visited him frequently, always talking to 
him plainly but tenderly, reading the Bible, singing, 
praying, explaining the way of faith, urging him to 
believe- — in short, using every possible means for his 
conversion, but without success. At one time we 
would read the precious promises and sing, 

Just as I am, without one plea 
But that thy blood was shed for me, 
And that thou bidst me come to thee 
O Lamb of God, I come ! 

Another day we would read the threatenings and 
warnings of the Word, and sing some awakening 
hymn. Once, when feeling greatly discouraged over 
his case, we sang, 



212 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

O for a glance of heavenly day, 
To take this stubborn heart away, 
And thaw with beams of love divine 
This heart, this frozen heart of mine. 

The rocks can rend ; the earth can quake ; 
The seas can roar ; the mountains shake ; 
Of feeling all things show some sign 
But this unfeeling heart of mine. 

These lines were never more applicable to any soul 
than to poor George, while thus bound by the 
enemy. A minister w^ho had visited him for many 
weeks regarded him as one given over to hardness 
of heart ; and, not knowing that we had labored 
with him, sent a message requesting us to visit 
George, expressing his fears concerning him. We 
could not believe that he had sinned away his day 
of grace, but feared that he was insensible of the 
near approach of death, and had so turned his atten- 
tion to his bodily sufferings that he would probably 
die unsaved. During the spring months he sank 
rapidly. Every symptom of dissolution set in — his 
feet swelled badly, his appetite became poor and his 
stomach so weak that he was unable to eat the most 
delicate food. One very rainy day, fearing he would 
not live until the next morning, we all went to his 
little room, resolved to make one more effort for his 
salvation before he died. That morning we found his 
father home — he was usually closely confined to his 
business, but as George was so much worse that day 
he had remained at home. We were glad of an 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 213 

opportunity to converse with him on the subject of 
religion. He confessed his need of Christ and his 
sin in neglecting his souFs salvation so long. The 
condition of his dying boy seemed to convict him 
that had he been a Christian he might have led his 
son to Christ. When we engaged in prayer he not 
only bowed his knees but his heart before the Lord, 
and began earnestly but silently to pray for himself. 
bur attention, however, was more expressly turned to 
George, who was apparently as hard as ever. As 
soon as we began to call on the Lord, the powers of 
darkness gathered thick around us, and there was no 
sensible access to the throne of grace. We had often 
felt this resistance of the enemy but never so power- 
fully as at this time; all spirit of prayer was gone 
and a drowsy feeling came over us all. Just as we 
were at the point of discouragement and about to 
give over as usual and return home, it was suggested 
to three of the company, each not knowing the con- 
viction of the other, to ask the Lord to break the 
devil's power over George. Hitherto we had prayed 
the Lord to awaken him to see his danger and to 
feel his lost condition, and give him repentance unto 
life ; to show him the simple way of faith, and help 
him to press through all difficulties that surrounded 
him and lay hold on Christ. But instead of this 
form of prayer we gathered around him and asked 
the Lord to cast out the devil that bound him. A 
wonderful spirit of prayer was immediately given, 
with the assurance of victory. The conflict was 



214 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

sharp but short. At first he shrank from us as 
though frightened, but this only convinced us that 
the enemy was getting in close quarters, and must 
soon give way. In a few moments the overwhelming 
power of God came on him, setting his soul at lib- 
erty, and he began to praise the Lord with all the 
strength of his feeble voice. While we were engaged 
with George one of the missionaries was kneeling 
by Mr. G., encouraging him to give himself, then 
and forever, to the Lord. When the baptism fell on 
George the glory-cloud rested on all in the room, 
the saints shouted victory, and Mr. G. was instantly 
converted and gave God the glory. On hearing his 
son praise the Lord he clasped him in his arms, 
shouting the high praises of God, while George 
exclaimed, ^^ Glory to God ! he has blessed me and 
father too. Oh, glory to God ! he has blessed me 
and father too.'* Just then his little brother and 
sister came in from school and he cried out, "Oh, 
Johnnie, Johnnie, I've got religion ! Glory to God ! 
Hannah, Fve got religion.'* Mrs. G. with flowing- 
tears said, " This pays me for all my prayers and 
trials of faith. For many years I have prayed for 
the conversion of my husband and children ; now 
God has answered prayer and I believe he will give 
me the rest of my children." 

George was much better after his conversion ; his 
appetite returned, and the sickness at his stomach 
ceased from that hour. He lived about four weeks 
after he experienced religion, triumphing over the 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 215 

world, the flesh and the devil until the very last. 
Glory to God forever ! 

Only a few short months had elapsed after George 
was buried when his little brother Johnnie, now 
about ten years of age, was taken down with the 
same disease. He, too, loved to have the mission- 
aries call and sing and pray with him. One day 
while -they were telling him about Jesus, who says, 
" Suffer little children to come unto me," the Lord 
spoke peace to his soul, and with streaming tears 
he cried out, " O yes, Jesus is Johnnie's Saviour. 
Jesus does save Johnnie just now.'' We could not 
doubt it for he looked as happy as a little angel. 
He was a very quiet, lovely child, and dearly beloved 
by the family ; but the Lord loved him more than 
father or mother, and soon sent the angels to carry 
little Johnnie to his home in heaven. He was buried 
in the same grave with his brother, there to await 
the resurrection morn, when they will come forth 
arrayed in glorious robes. 

Hannah, who was a little older than Johnnie, has, 
since the death of her brothers, given her heart to 
the Lord, and has become quite an active missionary. 
Mr. G. also holds out faithfully. In a recent revival 
the youngest daughter was brought into the fold 
of Christ. Surely the Lord does hear a mother's 
prayers. 



2l6 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

A WIFE^S PRAYERS ANSWERED. 

Mrs. S. is a German woman, in whom we have 
taken a deep interest for several years. For twenty 
years past this devoted servant of the Lord has 
lived with an intemperate husband, who not only 
spent all his own earnings for liquor but often 
demanded a portion of his poor wife's hard-earned 
money to satisfy his unnatural thirst. During all those 
years of sorrow she struggled hard and brought up 
her family of five children in respectability. But her 
trials with her wretched husband were often terrible 
to endure. She made few complaints but carried her 
burden to the Lord, trusting that he would, sooner or 
later, undertake for her. As is usually the case, the 
intemperate husband grew worse and worse, turning 
his home into a very hell on earth. One morning very 
early Mrs. S. came to us and said, " My husband is 
getting so bad I feel the Lord must come to my 
help soon or I shall sink. I am on my way to 
my day's work at washing, and having fasted and 
prayed this morning the Lord brought this promise 
to mind as though it was given to me, " If two of 
you shall agree on earth as touching anything that 
they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my 
Father who is in heaven." (Matt, xviii., 19.) Then, 
it seemed, that the Lord told me to come to the 
missionaries and have you join with me in praying 
for the conversion of my poor husband, and I do 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 21? 

believe if you will pray with me the Lord will take 

hold of his case. We knelt in prayer and the Lord 

gave much liberty in asking for the salvation of 

the wretched husband. As she arose to leave she 

said, ^' I feel that the Lord has heard prayer ; my 

burden is all gone. I feel so light and so sure it 

will be done,'* When she returned home from her 

washing that night she found her husband very pale 

and shaking with ague. This was something new, 

for he had never felt anything of the kind before. 

He said to his wife, " I'm very sick. I think that 

stuff that I drink is hurting me, and I am going to 

stop it." And he did stop drinking for two weeks. 

When a week had passed and he continued to keep 

his promise, she came to us one night almost wild 

with joy and said, "Oh, Mr. S. has not touched a 

drop for one whole week.'* And still another week 

of unbroken happiness passed in the humble little 

room ; and then he was tempted, yielded, and again 

became a slave to his appetite. This was a great trial 

to the good woman's faith. She came to us with a 

sorrowful heart, "Oh!" said she, "he has fallen 

again, but I believe the Lord will yet hear prayer, 

and I feel that I can't praise him enough for those 

two weeks of happiness that I have spent with my 

husband. I have not had a happy home before for 

twenty years." But the Lord did not try the faith 

of his trusting child much longer. Her husband 

was again taken very ill, a few days after he took 

to his old habit. It was his last sickness. He pined 
19 



2l8 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

away until it was evident that he was fast wasting 
with consumption. During the few weeks that he 
lived he sought and found the Saviour, and died 
leaving a satisfactory evidence that through the 
mercy of God his many sins had all been forgiven. 

We were not at home when the news of his death 
came, but his little boy left the message, ''Tell the 
missionaries that my papa is dead, but he died a 
Christian." We called on the family the next 
morning. It did not seem like a house of death — 
there was no mourning ; all the children looked 
happy, and Mrs. S. was praising the Lord with every 
breath. '' Oh,*' said she, " I am so happy. I want to 
shout aloud the praises of God. I feel such a blessed 
assurance that my poor husband is ' Safe in the arms 
of Jesus,' O yes, he is 'safe in the arms of Jesus.'" 

" And will not the Lord avenge his own elect ? 
. . . . I tell you he will avenge them speedily." 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 219 



CHAPTER XI 



MISCELLANEOUS 



JEHOVAH-JIREH. 

At one time, when entirely out of money, we 
started to visit a woman who had been taken sick 
in the street and found shelter with a very poor 
family. Before leaving the street-car a gentleman 
who had just finished reading a tract we had given 
him, came to us, and after some conversation about 
our mission work handed us a dollar saying, ** Take 
that, I wish to help on such a good work." We 
never saw the gentleman before nor since, but took 
the money as from the Lord to relieve that poor 
family. With it we made them quite comfortable 
for that day. We found the woman very sick indeed. 
Being homeless and friendless she had sought shelter 
with a family who themselves were in deep afflic- 
tion, both from sickness and poverty. The man, 
though sober and industrious, was without employ- 



2 20 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

ment ; his wife was sick with rheumatism and con- 
fined to her chair ; her only bed, a pallet of straw 
and rags, she had given to the wretched creature, 
who was in much greater suffering than herself. A 
little child some three years old lay on two chairs, 
moaning piteously from an abscess forming in or 
about the shoulder, of which he died a few days 
after. The family were colored people, but the sick 
one they were protecting was a white woman, quite 
young and delicate. She lay in a dark narrow closet 
off from a very damp underground room where the 
family lived, and she could only be seen by the dim 
light of a lamp. The whole scene was a picture of 
destitution and distress such as is rarely found 
except in large cities. 

At another time when our treasury was empty 
and many sick ones were suffering for the want of 
food, the Lord again sent us help from an unex- 
pected source. A wealthy lady on her death-bed, 
feeling a deep sense of gratitude to God for his 
mercy, and wishing to do something for his precious 
cause and the suffering poor, having heard of this 
mission, sent for Dr. and gave him one hun- 
dred jlollars for its benefit. 

Although we have received hundreds of letters 
containing remittances for this mission, all of which 
seemed to come as directly from the Lord, yet the 
most remarkable of all was the ten shillings men- 
tioned in the following letter : 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 221 

. . . . "As I was looking over my bed of pie- 
plants the other day, I found a gold dollar lying on 
the top of a bunch. . . . . As I picked up the 
shining beauty I thought as I had but one little 
girl it must be given to her for a pocket piece. 
Then I called to mind that I had promised the Lord 
some months ago, to give to some benevolent cause 
all I might be favored with by saving or getting 
in an unusual manner. Since then I have had sev- 
eral small presents, and I have been blessed with 
unusual good health, which has saved hiring a girl, 
&c. I look at these things as providential. A neigh- 
bor offered me $1.25 for the gold dollar. I accepted 
it, telling him T would be glad to get the quarter 
as I wanted to give it to some good cause. . . . 
And it seemed to me, after reading the articles 
about the Providence Mission that that was the place 
for my little offering. Please accept my widow's 

mite for Doctor , who began and carries on 

so great a work by trusting wholly in God to sus- 
tain it. Oh, how it gladdens my heart to know there 
are in this our day precious saints who thus honor 
God by their faith. May Heaven's blessings rest 
upon them, is the prayer of 

"L. S. N.*' 
*' Plattsville, Wis." 

This money reached us in a time of great need. 
Truly He who sent Peter to get the tribute-money 
from the mouth of the fish is not at a loss for expe- 
dients by which to supply the wants of His poor. 



222 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

MARTHA BOLDEN. 

One day while visiting through the hospital our 
attention was directed to this young woman. She 
told us that she had been very wicked indeed, but 
wanted religion. She had been from the South but 
a few months. Shortly after coming to New York 
she obtained a service place, where she remained 
until taken sick. When she had recovered from this 
illness she was without work. Soon her means were 
exhausted and then she knew not what to do. One 
day as she was standing by the doorstep of her 
lodging place, a young girl living in the same street 
accosted her, and inquired if she was feeling lonely, 
and if she wanted employment, &c., and then asked 
her to come to the house where she lived. She 
accepted the invitation and went with the stranger. 
Then she was asked to remain until morning, which 
she did. But on the following day she learned that 
this was a disreputable house. Being homeless, 
friendless and penniless, she availed herself of this 
place, where she remained for five weeks. Then her 
conscience so troubled her that she forsook the 
house, resolving that she would sooner starve in the 
street than lead such a disgraceful life. Shortly 
after this she was taken sick and went to the Col- 
ored Home. 

One day we gathered around her and began to 
point her to Jesus. She wept and prayed, but seemed 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 223 

quite despondent. She said that in the night she 
would often lie awake and think, asking herself 
the question, *^ where would I go if I should die 
now ; " and then she would cry, '^ Lord have mercy 
on my poor soul ! ** but the devil would say, " If's 
too late! ifs too late!'' We told her that it was 
not too late,, and encouraged her to look to Christ 
at that moment and be saved. " Oh ! " she ex- 
claimed, *' I want the old kind of religion ; the 
religion my good old mother had, that will be with 
me in the dying hour.'* We left her somewhat 
encouraged, believing that God would come and 
save her. 

On the following Wednesday afternoon we found 
her still anxiously seeking the Saviour. She wept 
and said, " Oh, Fm more hungry for religion than I 
ever was for a meal of victuals.*' Again we sang 
and united with her in prayer, and that hour the 
Lord revealed himself to her soul. She lived but a 
short time after this. We obtained the particulars 
of her death from the inmates of her ward. On the 
night of her death she was sitting in a chair, very 
weak and almost helpless. She complained of feel- 
ing cold, and although evidently dying, she carried a 
brick to the stove to heat for her feet ; then she 
knelt in prayer by her bedside. After kneeling for 
some time she clasped her hands and exclaimed 
earnestly, "O Jesus, Jesus!" and then fell to the 
floor. She was lifted to the bed and the doctor was 
summoned. 



224 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

Martha was very happy, and told them she was 
going to heaven. She requested them to write to her 
mother and tell her that her daughter had gone to 
heaven, and she must meet her there. She also ex- 
horted those in the ward to give their hearts to Jesus. 

The young physician wanted to know if she was 
insane or had a fit. To this she replied that she 
was in her right mind, but happy because she was 
going to heaven. She then sang, 

Jesus can make a dying bed 

Feel soft as downy pillows are ; 
While on his breast I lean my head, 

And breathe my life out sweetly there. 

A few moments more and Martha's happy spirit 
took its flight to be forever with the Lord The 
doctor said that he never before saw any one die like 
that. 



MARY AND AGNES. 

One cold wintry day in an old dilapidated build- 
ing on Sullivan street we found a man with his 
wife and two sick children. In addition to their 
own family they had taken from the street two 
homeless widows, both very sick. Mary, one of 
the widows, had a very high fever, and was unable 



JBRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 225 

to Speak above a whisper. She also had two small 
children. The other widow, Agnes, was very low 
with consumption. She was lying on a piece of 
old carpet, with a few rags under her head and a 
piece of an old dress for covering. Mary's bed was 
but a trifle better. This wretched household of eight 
were utterly destitute of food, fuel or money, and 
those who were able to work could find no employ- 
ment, while the landlord was daily pressing them 
for rent. 

We immediately began the work of relieving the 
temporal wants of this family, and from our sup- 
plies for the poor we soon made them comparatively 
comfortable. We filled a tick with straw, which 
furnished a bed for poor Agnes, and then provided 
the family with food, fuel and additional bedding. 

They were all unsaved, but Agnes was much con- 
cerned about her soul. We frequently called and 
prayed with her. At one time she was much drawn 
out in prayer for herself, and while we were singing, 
praying and endeavoring to point her to the Lamb 
of God which taketh away the sin of the world, she 
felt her burden removed, and her tempest tossed 
soul found rest and peace. From that hour the 
fear of death was removed and she calmly awaited 
the final summons. 

One day shortly after the conversion of Agnes, 
while we were praying with her, the family were 
notified by the house agent that they were dispos- 
sessed, and that they must vacate the house within 



226 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

three days. This caused them great trouble. The 
visiting physician said that the women were too sick 
to be moved. But there is little mercy shown the 
colored poor. They were told that because the two 
sick women were not their own relatives the law 
could not protect them, although both of their own 
children were sick, one of whom died shortly after. 
In this distress they were obliged to vacate the 
house. We hired a carriage and had Agnes taken 
to the Home, where she soon after died in the Lord. 
The rest of the family found shelter with other poor 
people. 

" For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing 
of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord." 
(Ps. xii., 5.) 

" He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack ; 
but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse." 
(Prov. xxviii., 27.) 



FRANK BELL. 

This young man came to New York when quite 
young, and falling into bad company he became 
greatly dissipated ; but after a few years of gam- 
bling, swearing. Sabbath-breaking, &c., his career 
of sin was suddenly checked by a severe sickness. 
For a time he was confined in one of these low 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 22? 

places, and from there went to the Home. On his 
entering the ward the first man he met was one of 
his old comrades in sin, whom he had not seen for 
a long time. He accosted him somewhat as follows, 
" Well, Frank, I am glad to see you. Now you must 
make up your mind to be good, for there are a great 
many good folks here, and I have got religion my- 
self.*' Frank looked at him suspiciously, for he would 
as soon have believed that the devil was converted 
as he, and then passed on into the ward. When 
evening came he was informed that there was to be 
a prayer meeting in the ward above. Though suf- 
fering greatly he yet felt a strong desire to attend 
the meeting, that he might see if his old friend took 
any part in the exercises. Soon after the meeting 
was opened the young convert commenced praying 
with such earnestness and unction that Frank was 
melted to tears, and resolved that hour that he too 
would seek the salvation of his soul. 

On the Wednesday afternoon following he came 
into the meeting and went to the altar a poor, 
heavy-laden sinner, crying for mercy. " Oh ! " he 
exclaimed, "Tm such a sinner. Fm not fit for God 
to look at. So unworthy J so unworthy. But O God, 
have mercy, have mercy for Jesus' sake." We con- 
tmued in prayer with him for a long time, and felt 
that God was nigh at hand to save this contrite 
soul. After the meeting had closed a few remained 
with the poor mourner. While we were singing, 



2 28 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

Just as I am, thou wilt receive, 
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve, 

Because thy promise I believe, 
O Lamb of God, I come, I come, 

the light broke into his darkened soul and the glory 
that rested upon him was too great for the poor body 
that, like Daniel when God revealed himself, there 
was no strength in him. He whispered, " Blessed 
Jesus, he is my Saviour ! " Two of his friends sup- 
ported him, and when able to speak he gave the 
following testimony ; ** Jesus told me to go in peace 
and sin no more. He has forgiven all my sins this 
afternoon. Praise God ! " After this he would 
often say to us, " I am so happy since I gave my 
heart to Jesus, that sometimes I don't know what 
to do with myself.'' At another time he said, " Be- 
fore I was converted I thought I knew everything, 
but now I see I never knew anything, but I'm try- 
ing to learn." 

Frank was a fine appearing young man, gifted in 
prayer and possessed of more than ordinary abilities. 
But being a native of the South his early education 
had been sadly neglected. Soon after his conver- 
sion he felt that the Lord called him to the work 
of the ministry, but as he was unable to read he felt 
that he could do but little towards instructing 
others until he could first read the Bible for him- 
self. Accordingly he at once diligently applied 
himself to his books, and being aided by one of the 
aged inmates of his ward only a few weeks elapsed 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. ^20 

before he could read the Bible readily. Soon after 
this he left the Home and obtained a service place 
on Staten Island. There he with two or three 
others commenced holding evening meetings, and five 
were converted under their labors. When he left 
Staten Island he went to Flushing and rented a room 
for a small sum. Here he again commenced meet- 
ings and was instrumental in the conversion of seven 
souls, some of whom had been notoriously wicked. 
During the day he would gather the children of 
the neighborhood into his room and teach them the 
alphabet. He is now serving as waiter with a fam- 
ily in this city. 

One evening when he called at our house we said, 
" Well, Frank, you should be very thankful that you 
have a service-place when so many are without 
employment." "Why," he replied, "the Lord has 
said he would take care of his little ones, and I am 
one of them." He then added, "But I would almost 
as soon be without work, for then I have such nice 
times holding meetings." At another time he told us 
that a few weeks previous he had resolved to see 
]ust how near he could live to God. " So," said he, 
" when I arose in the morning I prayed ; then I lit 
the fire and I prayed ; then I set the table and I 
prayed ; then before calling the family to breakfast 
I prayed, and thus I prayed all day. Well, the devil 
bothered me all that day and everything seemed to 
go wrong, but I knew it was the devil so I went on 

praying, and then the devil didn't bother me any 
20 



230 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

more, and the past two weeks have been the hap- 
piest weeks I ever spent." 

He is now endeavoring to earn a sufficient sum 
with which to educate himself. We thank God for 
all he has done for Frank, and for what he has 
enabled him to do for the cause of Christ. We 
have no doubt but one day he will be a minister 
of the Gospel. 



MR. PHILIPS. 

One day after holding a season of prayer with 
one of the sick ones at the Home, our attention was 
directed to Mr. Philips, on the opposite side of the 
ward, who, we were informed, was seeking religion. 
On conversing with him we learned that he had 
been under deep conviction for several days. He 
wept bitterly, and in broken accents told us that he 
had slept none for seven nights, so intense was his 
longing after Jesus ; he felt he was a great sinner 
and was trying to find mercy. We commenced sing- 
ing a hymn, and before we had sung one verse he 
fell upon his knees and commenced calling on God 
for mercy. We prayed with him and also sang sev- 
eral other hymns. It was getting late and we were 
obliged to leave, as it was the hour for supper at 
the Home ; but we left the mourner on his knees 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 231 

sobbing aloud, and begging the Lord to pardon 
his sins. 

The following Wednesday he was in the meeting, 
and at the first invitation he went to the altar weep- 
ing aloud as he went. We have seldom seen a soul 
more deeply penitent. Like the poor publican he 
smote upon his breast crying, " Lord be merciful to 
me a sinner ! " For a long time he seemed to 
writhe in agony like one suffering the most excru- 
ciating pain. When the meeting was nearly at its 
close we commenced singing the hymn, 

But drops of grief can ne'er repay 

The debt of love I owe ; 
Here Lord, I give myself away, 

'Tis all that I can do, 

with the accompanying chorus, 

I do believe, I now believe, 

That Jesus died for me, 
And through his blood, his precious blood, 

I am from sin set free. 

A ray of light began to dawn upon his soul and 
hope sprang up within his heart as he exclaimed, 
" I will believe, I do believe, take away my unbelief/' 
A few moments more in earnest prayer, and then 
springing to his feet he shouted, " Glory to God ! " 
He had received the assurance of sins forgiven, 
and now his rejoicing was as excessive as had been 
his grief. With tears of joy and gratitude he said, 
" Oh, how good the Lord was to show me my lost 



23^ BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

condition. He showed me my dear mother and 
children in heaven and myself on the road to hell. 
I thought I was lost, but, glory to God, he has 
found me.'* Several times in the midst of his rejoic- 
ing he exclaimed, *^ Saved at the eleventh hour; 
escaped from the brink of hell.'' He still continues 
a true disciple and faithful follower of Christ. 



FRANK AND HIS GRANDFATHER. 

Frank was a waiter in a female seminary in this 
city where for some time he served in feeble health. 
When no longer able to work he returned to the 
home of his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, who 
had cared for him from his childhood. He was 
about twenty years of age, courteous and genteel in 
his manners, but quite reserved when the subject of 
religion was named ; indeed, he seemed to have no 
concern for either his soul or body. He was sick 
with consumption and evidently in the last stage of 
the disease, yet entertaining strong hopes of regain- 
ing his health. We visited him frequently, and at 
length the Holy Spirit brought him under deep 
conviction and he began earnestly to seek the pearl 
of great price. On one of our visits, as we were 
singing and praying with him the Lord most glori- 
ously set his captive soul at liberty, and he praised 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 233 

the Lord with all his redeemed powers. He lived 
only a few weeks afterwards. From the time of his 
conversion until his death his sky was unclouded. 
When dying he often said, '^ Oh, how sweet to 
have communion with Jesus.'* He asked his grand- 
father to bathe his feet. When his request had 
been complied with he said, '* Now if Jesus comes 
for me to-night I am all clean, inside and outside^ 
And in a few moments Jesus did come for him, and 
his redeemed spirit was borne away to its home 
above. 

Frank was dearly beloved by his grandparents, 
who were both quite advanced in life. Mrs. Smith 
was a Christian but her husband was living without 
God in the world. He felt the loss of his grand- 
son very deeply, and his health began to fail from 
that time. His wife was greatly concerned for his 
soul and asked us to talk with him, but added, "I 
don't think he will listen to you, for he won't 
hear any one talk about religion. He is very hard." 
We called and found him a willing listener to all 
we said. We read to him the gracious invitations 
contained in the fifty-fifth chapter of Isaiah, and 
then knelt in prayer ; he wept freely although he 
said but little. He thanked us and said, "Do call 
again.'* 

He was a very quiet man and when he made 
up his mind to seek the Lord he said, " I know 
that I must do my part of the work — repent and 
believe — and by his help I am trying to do it, and 



234 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

I know God will do his part of the work/' The Lord 
came in a still small voice but his conversion was 
clear and satisfactory. He lived only a short time 
after he experienced the blessed change. During the 
last hours of his life the Lord manifested himself 
to him in a wonderful manner. His friends said 
that the divine presence was sensibly felt by all 
in the room. Just before his spirit took its flight 
he whispered, " The angels are coming ; don't you 
hear the music? Oh, I hear it — the sweet music 
of heaven." Then he bade them all farewell, and 
passed over to join the angel bands on the other 
shore. 



WILLIAM PHIPPS. 

This young man came to the Home sick with 
consumption. Not being confined to his bed he did 
not consider himself dangerously ill. He was soon 
appointed orderly of the first ward, where he served 
for several months. Then he began to fail rapidly^ 
and was removed to the hospital department. We 
had labored with him many times in the past but 
without apparent success. Although obliging and 
courteous to us when conversing on other matters, 
yet when the subject was changed to personal 
salvation, he would often turn away in derision and 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 235 

treat the subject with contempt, often saying, *' Relig- 
ion is well enough, I suppose, but there is time 
enough yet for me. You had better talk to others 
that are going to die soon,** Sec. As his health 
failed he seemed to be more attentive when we talked 
with him, and his manner toward us was greatly 
changed. One day as we stopped to say a few 
words to him we found that he was quite anxious 
about his soul's salvation. He said, " I am trying 
to pray, but find I have made a great mistake in 
putting off until this late hour what I ought to 
have done long ago." We sat down by his bedside 
and tried to encourage him to hope for salvation 
even at that time. We read the promises of God's 
Holy Word, to which he listened with great atten- 
tion. While we sang and prayed with him we 
realized in a very especial manner the presence of 
the Lord, and while we were yet praying God spoke 
peace to his soul. The next time we saw him his 
heart was full of joy, which he said he could not 
find words to express. As we approached him he 
extended his hand, his face beaming with delight 
and exclaimed, " Oh ! Fm so happy ; so happy. I feel 
that Fm a child of God, and so clean. Jesus is 
so precious to me all the time. How good he was 
to forgive me when I had rejected his invitation 
so long. Oh ! how I resisted the Spirit ; but God 
has forgiven all. And I ask you to forgive all I 
ever said to you that was wrong. I am so thankful 
you didn't leave me to myself when I treated you 



236 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

SO. I always knew that what you said to me was 
truth, and I was so foolish not to listen to it. Oh, 
how I regret that I haven't served God while in 
health." He seemed to feel much for those that 
were living in sin around him, and urged them to 
give their hearts to God. He lived about three 
weeks rejoicing continually, although often in great 
pain of body. A few hours before his death he said 
to one in the ward, " Fm failing, am soon going 
home, but Fm all ready.'* He soon fell asleep and 
never awoke again in this world. 

O for the death of those 

W^ho slumber in the Lord? 
Oh, be like theirs my last repose, 

Like theirs my last reward. 



MR. GUINN. 

One day a woman called at our house to see if 
we could render her a little assistance by way of 
provision. She said her husband was very sick and 
without religion. We gave her some provisions and 
then took her address, promising to call and see her 
husband. We found Mr. Guinn far gone with con- 
sumption. He was a middle-aged man and extremely 
weak in body, yet very anxious about his soul's 
salvation. When asked if he had repented of all 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 237 

his sins and forsaken them, he replied, " O yes, I 
have been trying for a long, long time to get religion, 
and I broke off from all my bad habits some time 
before I was taken sick, and now I feel I haven't 
long to stay here, and I want to know that my sins 
are forgiven.'* He said he was praying and believed 
the Lord would yet save him. We sang and prayed 
and when we left he seemed lighter-hearted. 
Another day he sent for us in great haste to come 
over and pray with him. We did so, and endeav- 
ored to show him what Jesus was to his soul, that 
he had paid the debt and therefore the repenting 
sinner might believe in Jesus as his Saviour. He 
seemed to be encouraged and before we left he 
claimed by faith the blessing, and said that he 
believed his sins were pardoned ; although he did 
not yet feel it, still he believed it. We told him to 
keep trusting and believing in Jesus and he would 
soon receive the clear witness, the full assurance 
that the change was wrought. A few hours after 
we left, the joy of the Lord began to fill his soul, 
and when we again called to see him he no longer 
had a doubt. He was conscious that the burden 
of sin had been removed, and that all his trans- 
gressions were blotted out. From that hour until 
his death — which took place a few days after — Mr. 
Guinn was always joyful and ready to depart and 
be with Christ. 



238 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

CONVERSION OF MRS. P. 

We found Mrs. P. in a little room on T street. 

She was quite advanced in life and about worn out 
with hard work. Her countenance wore a sad, troubled 
expression which led us to inquire if she were ac- 
quainted with Jesus. She replied, " I am seeking, but 
have not found him yet. This morning while praying 
the Lord melted my heart, I felt the good Spirit, and 
if I keep right on I believe I shall get through." We 
asked, *' Have you repented of all your sins and 
put them away?" O yes," she replied, ^*as far as 
I know." "Do you see anything that keeps the 
Lord out of your heart ? " ^* No ; but Fve got to 
work hard before I can expect to get religion, and 
I am trying hard for it." We told her that good 
works could never purchase salvation, but if she had 
repented of her sins and forsaken them it was her 
privilege to take the next step, which was to believe 
on the Lord Jesus Christ ; but she made the same 
reply, '* I must work awhile longer before I get the 
blessing." We saw that we could not reason with 
her, so we began to sing and then carried her case 
to the Lord in prayer, and felt a divine assurance 
that he was present to save that doubting soul. She 
struggled and prayed for herself with much earnest- 
ness. At length we commenced singing, 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 239 

Jesus, the name that charms our fears, 

That bids our sorrows cease ; 
'Tis music in the sinner's ears, 

*Tis life, and health, and peace. 

While singing a few verses of this hymn her eye 
was turned from herself to Christ, and she began to 
say, " He's done it. The Lord has done the work. 
Oh, glory ! I hear him say * Go in peace and sin no 
more. Thy sins, which are many, are all forgiven 
thee.' '' She arose and walked the room, shouting 
"Glory to God!'' The look of despair had fled, 
and glory and victory beamed from her countenance. 
" Oh ! " she said, " if I had known the blessing was 
so good I should not have rested so many years with- 
out it. Why, I feel as if I was in a new world. 
Satan tried hard to get me, but Jesus has driven him 
away. He made me think I'd got to work hard a 
long time before I could get the blessing, but I found 
it right here'' She took us each by the hand, exclaim- 
ing, " Praise the Lord, I've got it, I've got it ! " She 
became a very faithful follower of Christ. 



FRaNKIE STEWART. 

**I was a stranger and ye took me in." 

We found this young woman in one of the city 
hospitals sick with consumption, wholly unprepared 



240 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

for death and quite insensible of its near approach. 
She was under treatment for injuries received from a 
fall, and hoped soon to regain her health. We con- 
versed with her seriously on the subject of religion, 
urging her to seek the Lord without delay. But 
she seemed quite unconcerned about the welfare of 
her soul. Having recovered a measure of health she 
left the hospital, and being without home or friends 
in this city, she knew not what to do, but was told 
of a woman who sometimes befriended homeless 
girls and lodged them until they could find employ- 
ment. Frankie was an entire stranger to this woman, 
but she received her kindly and gave her a home 
which, although poor, was the best she had. Her 
delicate frame sank under the fatigue occasioned by 
the long walk from the hospital, and she was imme- 
diately prostrated on a sick-bed. For several weeks 
we lost all trace of her, but one day when calling 
on the destitute in that part of the city we found poor 
Frankie on her dying bed. She was over-joyed at 
seeing us, and exclaimed, " Oh, I am so glad to see 
you, I have thought of you often but never expected 
to see you again. I didn't know where you lived or 
I would have sent for you to come and pray with me, 
for I do want to be saved. '* She readily confessed 
her sins ; said she had been a great sinner^ and we 
had reason to believe that she was truly penitent. 
We encouraged her to look away from herself unto 
Jesus who has said, " Come unto me all ye that labor 

and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.** One 
21 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 241 

day when we called a few friends came in and we all 
joined in a season of prayer. The poor mourner's 
heart was encouraged and her faith laid hold on 
Christ for present salvation. While we were singing, 

Jesus wash me in thy blood, 

she began in a low, sweet strain to join in the sing- 
ing, and in a few moments the Lord put the " new 
song in her mouth, even praise unto our God." She 
exclaimed, " O yes, Jesus has washed me in his blood, 
he has washed me clean. O yes, praise his dear 
name, he has* snatched me right from hell's dark 
door. Yes, me, even me ; I'm saved^ saved! " Her 
face shone with the glory that filled her soul. The 
divine presence filled the little room, and others pres- 
ent joined the new-born soul in praising the God of 
all grace. 

Frankie lived three months after her conversion. 
At times she was a great sufferer ; but the kind 
woman who had befriended her continued to care for 
her with all the tenderness of a mother, letting her 
want for nothing that she could furnish for her com- 
fort. She was often obliged to leave her to the care 
of some kind friend, while she would go out to 
work in order to earn money with which to pay rent 
and procure food. Then she would again take her 
place by the bedside of the poor sufferer during the 
night, and much of her hard-earned money was used 
for purchasing little delicacies for her sick charge. 
After we found them we were able to relieve their 



242 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

pressing wants, so that the main burden that came 
on the kind-hearted woman was the care and watch- 
ing with the dying girl, which was no small task, as 
it required much washing and ironing to keep her 
in the clean tidy condition in which we always found 
her ; besides, she was extremely nervous, and wanted 
a change of position frequently. Much of her suffer- 
ing was caused by bed-sores. We relieved this in a 
measure by placing an air pillow under her. But 
she was wasted to a mere skeleton, and the bones in 
many places were worn through the flesh, so that 
nothing but an air or water-bed could have afforded 
much relief. 

This noble-hearted woman who had the care of 
Frankie was extremely destitute herself ; besides, she 
was not a Christian^ and had never made any profes- 
sion of religion. But truly she possessed the spirit 
of the Good Samaritan, whom Christ gives as a sam- 
ple to his church, saying to all, ** Go and do thou 
likewise." (Luke x., 37.) The young convert kept 
the rejoicing of hope firm unto the end. The day 
before her death she said, " All is clear ; not a doubt. 
I am just laying here waiting for Jesus to take me 
home.'* 

Through the kindness of a few friends Frankie's 
body was neatly dressed for burial and placed in a 
handsome coffin which was strewed with roses, vio- 
lets, &c. ; also upon her breast and around her face 
was a profusion of half-blown roses, carnations and 
violets interwoven with smilax. She was truly beau- 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 243 

tiful. The little room was filled with the neighbors 
and those who had become interested in the poor 
sufferer during the long, weary months of her sick- 
ness. A minister delivered a short address. The 
coffin was placed in the hearse, and the mourners — 
consisting of the motherly woman who had befriended 
Frankie and a few others — filled one carriage, and 
the body was taken to the Lutheran Cemetery, where 
the undertaker, like Joseph with the body of our 
Lord, "buried it in his own tomb.** 

Unveil thy bosom, faithful tomb, 
Take this new treasure to thy trust, 

And give these sacred relics room 
To slumber in the silent dust. 

Nor pain, nor grief, nor anxious fear 
Invade thy bounds; no mortal woes 

Can reach the peaceful sleeper here, 
While angels watch the soft repose. 



PETER HUDSON. 

While visiting from house to house on Jersey 
street we found this young man. He was rapidly 
hastening to eternity with the fatal consumption. 
Peter was an intelligent man, but like too many 
others, he had lived for the world and had neglected 
the salvation of his soul. When he heard death 



244 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

knocking at his door he earnestly set about making 
his peace with God. We visited him often, and 
always found him deeply penitent. One night, after 
his mother had retired, he felt so distressed in mind 
that he could not sleep. "But,*' he said, "while I 
was weeping and calling on God for mercy, sud- 
denly there appeared to be a cloud surrounding me, 
and a voice said, ^Did not Jesus suffer for you that 
you might have forgiveness of sins ? * Then the 
cloud broke and a flood of light and glory filled my 
soul. Oh, it was blessed. I felt like getting out of 
bed and jumping for joy.'* He shouted, "Glory to 
God ! glory to God ! *' with all his strength for some 
length of time ; but his voice being very weak his 
mother did not hear him. On entering his room 
the next morning she saw the change in his counte- 
nance before he uttered a word, as his face bore an 
expression of happiness and peace quite in contrast 
with its former look of sadness and anxiety. He 
continued very happy in the Lord from that time, 
and died a few days after his conversion. 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 245 



CHAPTER XII. 



CONCLUSION. 

The Providence Bible Missionary Society was 
commenced by a prominent physician of this city 
in i86a. About that time this Christian Gentleman 
consecrated all of his future income to the Lord for 
charitable purposes, and resolved to lay up no more 
treasure upon earth. He immediately employed 
missionaries to carry the Gospel into the highways 
and by-ways of the most destitute and neglected 
portions of our Lord's vineyard, especially to the 
poor and oppressed colored population. For some 
length of time he sustained two missions, one in 
Philadelphia and one in New York, and employed 
seven missionaries, all of whom he supported, besides 
furnishing the tracts and bibles for distribution. 
During his connection with this mission he has 
expended between thirty and forty thousand dol- 
lars of his own means. Recently, however, provi- 
dential circumstances have obliged him to suspend 
the support, which for sixteen years he has so gen- 



246 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

erously bestowed upon this mission with such glorious 
results. But we trust the Lord will influence other 
hearts to fill his place and thereby enable us to 
continue this good work. 

Providence Mission is not connected with any 
church organization, hence is not sectarian. It is 
not supported by any particular denomination, and 
being without endowment, we are greatly in need of 
financial aid. 

If all professing Christians to whom the Lord has 
given an abundance of this world's goods, would 
follow the example of this faithful steward of the 
Master, what multitudes of perishing souls might 
be reached by the Gospel, and saved, who otherwise 
will be lost. But alas ! too many, after accumulating 
wealth sufficient for the support of themselves and 
families, either retire from business or do what is 
worse, continue to add thousands to thousands, and 
millions to millions, until, like the rich man spoken 
of in the Gospel, they know not what to do with 
their vast possessions. (Luke xii. 16-21.) And usu- 
ally, when these millionaires make their will, they 
bestow their wealth on those who are rich enough 
without it, and who have no need of their gifts. 
They forget that giving to the rich is as great a sin 
as oppressing the poor. God in his Word says, 
*''' He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches 
and he that giveth to the rich shall surely come to 
want.'* (Prov. xxii. 16.) Perhaps they may never 
^^ come to wanty'' for anything that money can pur- 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 247 

chase in this life; but our Saviour tells us of a '^cer- 
tain rich man'' who had his good things in this world, 
but he found himself in want of all things in eternity. 
This rich man is not spoken of in the narrative 
as having been a great sinner, a murderer, blas- 
phemer. Sabbath-breaker, or profane man ; he seems 
to have lost his soul for being a rich man, and 
refusing or neglecting of his abundance to show 
mercy to the suffering poor around him. He was a 
professor of religion, a member of the Jewish church, 
for he calls Abraham ^^ father^'' and Abraham addresses 
him as ^' son,'' And he may have given largely of 
his means to support his own church, but when 
weighed in the balance, he was found wanting in love 
and mercy, which is the soul of true religion. Doubt- 
less this rich man bequeathed all his possessions to 
his ''^ five brethren," who were rich enough without it, 
and their increased wealth, not being used to the 
glory of God, would help to sink them the deeper 
into hell. The Apostle says, "They that will be 
rich, fall into temptation and a snare, and into 
many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men 
in destruction and perdition." ( i Tim. vi. 9.) No 
wonder that this rich man felt so much concern 
for his relatives, and prayed Abraham to send Laza- 
rus to warn them. "Then he said, I pray thee 
therefore, father, that thou wouldst send him to my 
father's house : For I have five brethren ; that he 
may testify unto them, lest they also come into this 
place of torment.*' (Luke xvi. 27, 28.) But this poor 



248 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

rich man's petition could not be granted, and in 
his case was fulfilled that solemn declaration, "He 
that stoppeth his ear to the cry of the poor, he also 
shall cry himself, but shall not be heard." (Prov. 
xxi. 13.) 

Our hearts sicken as we go through this city and 
witness the wretchedness and want on the one hand 
and the wealth and extravagance oh the other. We 
see hundreds of the deserving poor (many of whom 
are devoted Christians) suffering the want of all 
things. We find poor sick ones, who like Lazarus, 
are starving on their death -beds, and many of them, 
we fear die from want of proper nourishment, long 
before the natural course of the disease would ter- 
minate their life. 

Beside this suffering for temporal bread, there is a 
still greater famine for the bread of Life. There are 
thousands of the out-door poor of New York who 
never attend church, and the only way they can be 
reached by the Gospel, is to carry it to their homes. 
There are hundreds of poor sinners dying unsaved 
in the lone, dark garrets and cellars of this city, 
who might be reached and brought to Christ by 
faithful missionary labor. Truly, "the harvest is 
great but the laborers are few." 

The Master calls for reapers, 

And shall he call in vain? 
Shall sheaves lie there ungathered, 

And waste upon the plain? 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 249 

Instead of a wealthy church sending out one mis- 
sionary in this vast field, every wealthy church member 
who cannot do the work themselves, ought to employ 
at least one missionary. And this could be done 
with only a small portion of the money that is worse 
than wasted by many professing Christians. If the 
gold and costly array that adorns the " daughters of 
Zion** in this city, were laid at the feet of Jesus for 
this purpose, there would be an abundant supply. 
It would relieve all the pressing wants of the poor, 
and send the Gospel to every neglected abode of 
poverty in this city, and eternity alone would reveal 
the glorious results of such a sacrifice. And is it 
not a reasonable sacrifice, since the Word of God for- 
bids Christian women to wear these things ? " Whose 
adorning let it not be that outward adorning, of 
plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of put- 
ting on of apparel ; but let it be the hidden man of 
the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the 
ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the 
sight of God of great price.** (i Pet. iii. 3,4.) "In 
like manner also that women adorn themselves in 
modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; 
not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly 
array; but (which becometh women professing godli- 
ness) with good works." (i Tim. ii. 9, 10.) But 
extravagance in dress is only one of the " many foolish 
and hurtful lusts " spoken of by the Apostle. There 
are many other things equally sinful, for which thous- 
ands of dollars are spent yearly by church members, 



250 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

who, when asked to help God*s suffering cause, 
speak of hard times, and reply, ^'I can't afford it." 

There is another class of rich people who shut 
their ears to the cry of the poor, but they do not 
"fare sumptuously every day.'* Indeed they do not 
allow themselves the necessaries of life. They love 
their money so much, that they will neither use it 
themselves nor allow others to have the benefit of it 
while they live. And these misers usually die with- 
out making a will. They are too much attached to 
their money to think of parting with it, and act as 
though they expected to take it with them to the 
other world. The Bible says of such, " Their inward 
thought is, that their houses shall continue forever, 
and their dwelling-place to all generations ; they call 
their lands after their own names. Nevertheless, 
man being in honor abideth not ; he is like the beasts 
that perish. For when he dieth he shall carry noth- 
ing away ; his glory shall not descend after him.'' 
(Psalm xlix. 11, 12, 17.) 

There is only one way by which the gold and 
silver of earth can be taken to Heaven, and that is 
by giving it to God's suffering poor in this world. 
Our Saviour says, " Lay not up for yourselves treas- 
ures upon earth .... But lay up for yourselves 
treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust 
doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through 
and steal." (Matt. vi. 19, 20.) *' Sell that ye have and 
give alms J provide yourselves bags which wax not 
old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not .... 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 251 

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be 
also/' (Luke xii. ;^^y 34.) " When thou makest a feast, 
call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And 
thou shalt be blessed ; for they cannot recompense 
thee, for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrec- 
tion of the just/' (Luke xiv. 13-14.) " He that hath 
pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord, and that 
which he hath given will he pay him again/' (Prov. 
xix. 17.) " Charge them that are rich in this world, 
that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain 
riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly 
all things to enjoy. That they do good, that they 
be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to 
communicate. Laying up in store for themselves a 
good foundation against the time to come, that they 
may lay hold on eternal life." (i Tim. vi. 17, 19.) 

We rejoice that there are so many of the Lord's 
wealthy stewards in this city and elsewhere, who are 
rich in good works. They do not intend, when they 
die, to leave all their treasures behind them in this 
world ; hence they are sharing it with worthy objects 
of charity, and thereby sending a portion of their 
wealth "beyond the river," to await their arrival on 
the other shore. " Make to yourselves friends of the 
mammon of unrighteousness ; that when ye fail, they 
may receive you into everlasting habitations." (Luke 
xvi. 9.) 

Those who do not feel a tender pity for the poor, 
and a desire to do all that is in their power to relieve 
them are not true disciples of Christ. " Whoso hath 



252 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

this world's goods and seeth his brother have need 
and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, 
how dwelleth the love of God in him?*' (i John, 
iii., 17.) " Pure religion and undefiled before God 
and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and 
widows in their affliction." (James i., 27.) The 
destitute widows and orphans are here meant, as is 
shown by our Saviour's words, " Inasmuch as ye have 
done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, 
ye have done it unto me.'* (Matt, xxv., 40.) 

There are many who are so circumstanced that 
they cannot visit these afflicted ones in person, but 
they can do it with their means. God calls some 
to preach the Gospel with their money as truly 
as he calls others to preach with their mouths. And 
we will here say that those who help on this work 
with their means have the most agreeable part of 
the cross to bear. They know little of what the 
faithful missionary endures, who goes through heat 
and cold, filth and contagion, in search of these 
lost sheep ; besides the immense amount of walking 
from street to street, and from cellar to garret which 
is necessary in order to reach their wretched abodes. 
New York air is impure enough in the healthiest 
localities, but the work of this mission is mainly among 
the sick and dying, the outcast and fallen, which 
calls the missionaries into the most unhealthy parts 
of this densely populated city. Much of the time 
we are inhaling the impure air of the sick room 
and often when bending over dying sinners, point- 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 253 

ing them to the Saviour, we inhale their very breath, 
until we feel quite sick and faint, and often it results 
in serious illness. Sometimes we find them in such 
a neglected condition that we are obliged to clean 
the filth from the floor before kneeling in prayers. 

At one time we visited a woman who was dying, 
and her soul in the greatest agony, crying, "Lord 
have mercy ! Jesus save me ; oh, save my poor 
soul ! " She was almost gone, so we were obliged 
to get close to her bed and bend our ear to her 
face to hear her whispered cries for mercy, but it was 
truly a trial for weak nerves, for her bed and person 
were covered with hundreds of vermin ; but a death- 
less soul was about to be launched into eternity 
unsaved. The powers of hell had rallied for the 
last terrible conflict, and God by his Spirit was 
helping the poor woman and those who were pray- 
ing with her. So we kept our trying position for 
about two hours, when her faith laid hold on Christ, 
the struggle ceased, and her tempest-tossed soul 
rested on the atoning blood of Jesus. She lived only 
a few hours after. 

This is no uncommon case. We frequently find the 

sick in this neglected condition. But, notwithstanding 

these disagreeable things, the longer we remain in 

this work the more deeply we are attached to it, 

and we would not exchange our field of labor for 

any other, because it is one of the most fruitful we 

have ever found. These poor creatures are readily 

reached by the Gospel. Besides we consider them 
22 



254 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

the Lord's peculiar charge. They are the poor and 
oppressed, the sick and afflicted, the widows and 
orphans, the strangers and the outcasts. All of these 
afflicted ones the Lord calls by name in his Word, 
and the whole tenor of Scripture concerning them 
is, " I will bless them who bless thee.*' And the 
judgment is to turn on this point. We shall be 
blessed or cursed according as we have or have not 
ministered to this portion of God*s creation. (Matt. 

XXV.) 

We return our warmest thanks to the friends who 
have taken such a deep interest in our mission work 
for the past ten years, and especially for their liberal 
contributions for the relief of our suffering poor 
during these times of financial embarrassment. Truly 
we have been made to say with one of old, "The 
Lord will provide." 

There is always much of destitution in large cities, 
even when business is brisk and money plenty, but 
no one can know the increase of poverty and 
wretchedness caused by the present " hard times," 
except those who, like Job, can say, " The cause that 
I knew not I searched out,'' 

The hard times began to be deeply felt in 1873. 
Thousands of the laboring class in this city were 
thrown out of employment, and themselves and fami- 
lies suddenly reduced to want. 

The extreme cold weather set in early in the 
month of November, and there was great suffering 
among the poor, for fuel as well as food. 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 255 

Large numbers of these needy ones came to us for 
assistance, the most of whom we knew to be the 
deserving poor, who were willing to work, but could 
find nothing to do. They often seemed greatly morti- 
fied when necessity obliged them to ask for help. 
Some would say, while the tears coursed down their 
cheeks, " I have lived in New York twenty or thirty 
years, and have never before been obliged to beg. 
To meet this extremity, we had only seventy-five 
dollars, which was placed in our hands for the sick, 
and knowing the large amount of extreme destitu- 
tion we always find under ordinary circumstances, 
we could see nothing but starvation for many of the 
poor, unless the Lord should undertake for them, 
and send help from some quarter. We carried this 
burden to the Lord with fervent prayer for several 
weeks. About this time we wrote an article for a 
Christian Weekly^ giving a brief statement of the des- 
titution we were witnessing, and asked the friends 
of Jesus to send us help. A few days after, we 
received an anonymous letter from Albion, N. Y., 
containing fifty dollars^ with the following directions, 
** Use this for the poor, whoever they are, and wher- 
ever found." The same day another letter came, 
containing ten dollars ; and thus nearly every day 
letters were received containing money or money- 
orders ; also donations were given by friends in the 
city, until we received four hundred and forty dol- 
lars and twenty-five cents ; besides, twelve boxes and 
fourteen barrels, containing clothing of every descrip- 



256 BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 

tion, also bedding and provisions, estimated at two 
thousand dollars. This timely aid enabled us to 
relieve the pressing wants of hundreds of needy ones. 
The past winter, we have received about twenty 
barrels, containing second-hand clothing, bedding, 
provisions, and delicacies for the sick, such as but- 
ter, jelly, dried fruit, etc. One very valuable box of 
sundries was sent from northern Nebraska. 

We are frequently asked by those who wish to give, 
" What would be the most useful to your mission ? " 
And we will here say anything that will keep the 
poor from freezing and starving is thankfully received. 
Several barrels of beans sent last winter were of 
great service. There is much suffering among the 
sick for the want of bedding, during the winter 
months. We would be thankful for a supply before 
another winter. Comfortables and blankets, although 
greatly worn, are of much service in our work. 

Address letters and boxes to Mrs. Jane Dunning, 
Providence Mission, No. 329 West Thirty-seventh 
street. New York City. 

Our work was never in a more prosperous condi- 
tion, spiritually^ than at present. Souls are contin- 
ually being awakened and converted. To God be 
all the glory. 



Let me stay, I fain would labor 
In the vineyard of the Lord, 
For the fields are ready whitening, 
Jesus says so in his word ; 



BRANDS FROM THE BURNING. 257 

Let me thrust the Spirit's sickle 
In the fields already white, 
Let me blow the Gospel trumpet, 
Let me do with all my might. 

Let me stay and wear the armor 
That my Father doth supply, 
Let me cheer the broken-hearted, 
Help the pilgrim on his way ; 
Let me point the poor and needy 
To a boundless store of grace, 
To a mansion in the heavens 
Where the weary are at rest. 

Let me stay and warn poor sinners 
Of the danger they are in. 
While by Christ they're unprotected, 
Foes without and fears within ; 
Let me tell how Jesus loved them 
When he died upon the tree, 
When he cried in grief and anguish, 
"Why hast thou forsaken me !" 

Let me stay a little longer, 
Gathering for the garner great 
Golden sheaves, oh, precious jewels, 
Stars in Jesus' crown complete ; 
Let me finish all my labor. 
Then my armor I'll lay down. 
And with Jesus Christ, my Saviour, 
Ever wear a starry crown. 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



Preface ...,, Hi 

Introduction v 

CHAPTER I. 

Our Work 7 

Margaret 10 

A Prayer-meeting in a Gambling-room 14 

The Three Sisters 16 

Sowing the Seed 23 

CHAPTER II. 

Suffering and Salvation : 

Nancy V 27 

A Lost One Reclaimed 30 

Harry 31 

Samuel 37 

William H 40 

CHAPTER III. 

Death-bed Triumphs : 

Elizabeth D 45 

Conversion of Mary Lones 5^ 

Robert Hills 54 



26o CONTENTS. 

Conversion of Mrs. Green..... 56 

Laura 58 

Solomon Cliff 61 

Conversion of William R 64 

Conversion and Triumphant Death of Mr. Calaman 66 

Charles Freeman, the Chimney-sweep 69 

Conversion of Joseph, the Chimney-sweep, and Lizzie, his 

Wife 74 

Annie Wilberforce 80 

Nathaniel Russell 81 

A Miracle 84 

Jeremiah S6 

CHAPTER IV. 

Painful Scenes in Garrets and Cellars : 

A Class-leader's Widow 9I 

Grandmother Brown 95 

An Afflicted Household 98 

Dying and Destitute 99 

Ann T 102 

Conversion of Mr; H. and his Wife 103 

George Rogers 105 

Frozen to Death .>, 107 

CHAPTER V. 
Be not Deceived 109 

CHAPTER VI. 

The Colored Poor of New York City 116 

A Pressing Call for Charity 120 

CHAPTER VII. 

The Colored Home, New York City 124 

Charles Beverly 127 

Anna Coleman 133 

Elizabeth Jones 134 



CONTENTS. 261 



CHAPTER VIII. 

Conversions at the Colored Home 138 

Gertrude Holcomb ..... 141 

Peter J 146 

Emma B 147 

Robert Hilton 148 

William Anderson 150 

Katie 151 

Robert Green 153 

Susan, Emma and Jerry 158 

Digging up the Buried Talent 162 

Martha and Alice....: 165 

Mr. Van Alstyne 169 

Eliza Sayles 170 

Ella 171 

Aunt Mary Walton 174 

Martha Harris 176 

James Steele 179 

Conversion of a Chinese 182 

Hattie 183 

A Spaniard 185 

Alice 186 

Mary Beams 190 



CHAPTER IX. 

Death-bed Repentances 199 

Objections Answered 200 

James H 202 

Mary 207 



CHAPTER X. 

Prevailing Prayer : 

Mr. G. and his Family 210 

A Wife's Prayers Answered 216 



262 CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER XL 

Miscellaneous : 

Jehovah- Jireh 218 

Martha Bolden 222 

Mary and Agnes 224 

Frank Bell 226 

Mr. Philips 230 

Frank and his Grandfather.... 232 

William Phipps 234 

Mr. Guinn 236 

Conversion of Mrs. P 238 

Frankie Stewart 239 

Peter Hudson 243 

CHAPTER Xn. 

Conclusion : 245 



